A sermon preached at the Cathedral-Church of St. Paul : before the Right Honourable the Lord-Mayor, the aldermen, and citizens of London, on Tuesday the 29th of May, 1733 : being the anniversary-day of thanksgiving for the restoration

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-mv^-^b& LiL _

Mr. CHAMBRESs

s erMon

At St. P A U Lf\
Mat the tpth, 17J jv

Barber Mayor. i:Mt{<^zy the Nineteemh

•' Day of June, 1733,

and in the Seventh Tear
of the Reign of King
Geo ROE the Secpndy
of Great-Britam,'&c.

IT. is orciercd, that the Thanks of this Court be
given to the I^erend Mt. Chamhes, for his
SjCmlon preached b^ore this Court, and, the Liveries
of the feveral Companies of this City, at the Ca-
thedra] -Church of St. Paul, on Tuefday the Twenty-
ninth Day of May laft, being the Anniverfary-Day
of Thankfgiving for the Reftoration of the Royal
Family and Government -, and that he be defired to

print theTaine. r^ ' ,.^ v

c *

Jackson.

SERMON

Preached at the

Cathedral-Church of St. Paul,

Before the Right Honourable

The Lord-Mayor,

The Aldermen, and Citizens
oi LONDON,

. OnTuESDAYtheapthof Af^,i733.

Being the Anniverfary-Day of Thankfgiving
. ' for the Restoration.

By Charles Chambres, M. A.

Vicar of Hartford in Kent.

1*

LONDON:

Printed forTno. Astlky, at the Rofe, over againft the
North-Door of St. Paul's, 1733.

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Library

The original of tfiis book is in
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Right Honourable

JOHN BARBER,B£q;

Lord-Mayor of London.

My Lord,

HE Honour you did me (tho' pcr-
fonally unknown to you) in lending
me your Invitation to Preach before
You on' this Great Occafion, made
my Compliance a neceflary Debt to your
Civility. But the greater Honour fince done
me in the Court of Aldermen s fo publick Ap-
probation of my Sermon, and in their Defire to
Print it, leaves me no Liberty to wave their Re-
queft without an Affront to their Judgment and
Candour : And I had rather fubmit to the juft
Cenfure of the Critick, and the various Opini-
ons of the Readers, than to bear the Sulpicion

of

V| The Dedication.

of not having a juft Efteem for your Lord-
ship's favourable Sentiment of me, or a chear-
ful Inclination to fubmit to the Pleafure of that
Worfhipful Court.

The great Efteem I have for your Lord-
ship's pub lick Char after, was my chief Motive
to undertake this Office : And- tho' I have made
my mean Exercife therein publick, yet the
World will excufe me in a Deference that was
due to the Chief Magistracy of the Firft, the
Richeft, and thebeft governed City in Europe.

Your Lordship's clear Knowledge of your
Great Authority and Truft j your brave Refolu-
tion to maintain the one, and your honeft En-
deavours to fulfil the other, together with your
conftant and natural Love for the Church and
State of England, which have fo many, and
the fame Enemies to contend with : And efpe-
cially vour Zeal for the Honour, Prefervation,
andProljjerity of this Glorious Ctty which you
prefide in, with a Glory fuitable to its own,
and with a Judgment fitted to conduft its Af-
fairs in the moft intricate and delicate Gircum-
ftances, have engaged to you the Refpefts and
Acknowledgments of the whole Kingdom. And
therefore I cannot but be well pleafed with this
publick Opportunity given me of profeffing
minej who am.

Tour Lordship's moft Obedient

and Obliged Servant,

Charles Chambres.

L 7 J

I Sam. xlj. aa, 13, 7,4 — But I will teach

you the good and the right way ;
Only fear the Lord, andferve him in truths

with all your heart ; for conjider how great

things he hath done for you.
But if ye Jhall ftill do wickedly ^ yejhall be

confumedj both ye and your king

GOOD is the great Objedt of the Human
Will, in the real or imagined Poffeffion
of which it can only refi. And Trjjth
is the Great Objeft of the Human Un-
derftanding, in the Apprehenfion of which it only
can acquiefce. And in Proportion as thefe two di-
ftinft Faculties of the Human Mind difcover and
poffefs realTruxh and Good, they advance the Hap-
pinefs and Dignity of Human Nature.

The Prophet, in the Text, infpired by theFoun-
tain and original Author of Truth and Good, tells
the Jewijh Nation xhtcertainYfa.y to both. And be-
forehand to fix their better Attention to his divine In-
formation, performed a real Miracle before their
Eyes; then fays, J will teach you the Good and the
Right Way. And this Good and Right Way he
defcribes in a very few, but comprehenfive Words,
viz. Only fear the Lord, andferve him in truth,
•with all your heart. Words, which howfoever few,
. comprehend the whole of Religion^ bringing it into a
Summary View.

And to engage hisHearers, by the moftpowerfiil
Motives, to feek and to purfue Good and Truth
this way, he exhorts them, Firft, To recoiled: the
Greatnefs and Variety of Goo'sBeneficejice towards

them,

[ 8]

them, for confider how great thingi he hath done for you.
And, Secondly, To confider the dangerous Confe-
fcquences of not complying with that divine Admo-
nition, namely, that it would be the Ruin of their
private and publick Happiness : But if ye Jhall fiill
do wickedly^ ye Jhall be confumedy both Ye and your
King.

It is true, the Words were originally fpoken to
the Nation of ^tjcws, with a primary Yiev/ to their
religious Conduft. But when we confider that all
the fcripture of the Prophets was given by infpira-
tion of God *, and is profitable for Doftrine, for Re-
proof, for Correftion, for Inftruftion in Righteouf-
nefs to all People called to Religion by the fame Spi-
rit of God ythat the man of Godmaybe ferfeEl^throuoki-
ly furnijhed unto all good works y we muft needs ac-
knowledge they have 3.fecondary View to all Chrijii-
ans, who were called to Religion by the Meffiah of
thejews, Jesus Christ, the. eternal znd incarnate
Son of God, through the Eternal Spirit, the Spi-
rit of God the Father and Gob the Son. And
this will juftify my Application of them to Chriftians
in general, and this Chriftian Audience in particular.
In order therefore to recommend and enforce this
divine Inftruftion and Admonition in a manner fuir-
able to this Occafion, I beg leave.

First, To explain the Import of the Words, to
point our this good and right Way, by fhewingwhat
is undcrftood by fearing the Lord, and ferving him
in truth, with all the heart.

Secondly, To enforce the Duties here recom-
mended by the fame Motives mentioned by the Pro- •
phet, applied to our felves, namely.

First, From the Recolleftion of the Greatnefs
and Fariety of God's Beneficence towards this

* s Tim. iij. i6.

Nation^

C p]

Nation^ with a particular Refpedt totheBleffings of this
Day, to commemorate which, in a moft religious man-
ner, weare nowaffembled.

Secondly, From the Confideration of the dangerous
Confequences of our not complying with this divine Ad-
monition, namely, that it threatens the Ruin of our
private and publiik Happinefs, in the Deftrudion both
,of Us and our King.

Lastly, I fhall draw Two or Three fuitable In-
ferences from the whole.

FiRSTi I am to explain the Import of the Words, by
Ihewing what is underftood by fearing the I^ord, and
ferving him in Truth, with all the Heart.

To fear the Lord, in the Language of Holy Script
ture, generally imports that true inward Senfe of the
Divine Nature and Perfeflions that effeftually prevails
with us to the outward Exercifes of all the Duties of in-
ftituted Religion*, which Fear is therefore juftly put, as
it often is in Scripture, to fignify all Religion, it being
the very Life and Principle of it, without which all out-
ward Profeflions and Exercifes of Religion fignify no»
thing. This Fear is a compound Paffion, or Senfe of
the Mind, confifting of a diftinft Perception and Ad^
miration of God's inherent and communicative Perfefti-!'
ons, accompanied always with a juft Apprehenfion of his
perfeft Holinefs and Juftice, creating in us a rcafonable
Fear and A verfion to the Guilt and Punifliment of Sin.

This Religious Fear is created in us, partly by every
Man's Refledtions, or natural Reafoning, upon the vjfi-.
ble Things of this great World, and the greater Mira-
cle, his own Being and Perfe^ions of Body and Mind,
by which is made manifeft the Foundation of Religion,
in a plain Difcovery of thofe invifible Things of God,
even his eternal Power and Godhead ; and partly by re-
flefting impartially upon the Divine Credi? and Import
of the t^oly Scripture, as a fupplemental Revelation
froml Goo to us concerning Religion, wherein we are
taught the Nature of God and Man, and the Duties

6 ariling

[ ^o ]

arifing from them, in a more authehtick manner, and
enabled to perform them with more Alacrity, Strength,
and Succefs, through the Motives of the Gofpel, and
the fupernatural Grace exTiibited to Believers in the Ufe
of the Chriftian Ordinances. So that it is plain, the ori-
ginal Religion given to Man was not fo perfefl as that
given to him fmce by the written Infpiracions of God in
the Scriptures ■, and therefore the Religion of Nature, as
it is applied to Man, was not an abfolutely perfeft Religi-
on, as is pretended by our modern Deifts: Becaufe judg-
ing from the Writings and Actions of the beft Heathens
before, or without the Scriptures, the beft Samples of
human Nature, it is a Demonftration that Men became
more knowing, more virtuous in themfclves, and more
beneficent to othtr'<, and confcquently more perfeft, and
more happy Creatures, fince their Knowledge of the
Scriptures, than before. So that now the Fear of the
Lord imports fuch a lively and true Senfe of the Di-
vine Nature and Will applied to Man, as may be learnt
by the joint Affiftance of Human Reafon and Holy
Scripture.

To ferve the Lord in confcquence of this inward
Fear, is the outward Excrcife of all the Duties under-
ftood to be prefcribed us by Right Reafon, and the po-
fitive Inftitutions of Revealed Religion, out of a Con-
fcience towards God, and a moral Senfe of Obedience
due to all his Commandments which muft, in regard to
his immutable and abfolutc Perfeftions, whatever vain
Men may think, be Holy, Juft, and Good.

Indeed in this conceited Age, wherein intelleftual
Pride is fo Affuming and Triumphant, we are told
otherwife, that Religion confifts wholly in the Obferva-
tion of meer moral Virtue, and that in the Way that
every Man thinks to be fuch ; and that inftituted Re-
ligion is an Impofition upon Mankind, and every Man
is" at Liberty to call away the pretended Duties of it
with Refentment and D^riliqn,

But

But for a fKftrt Confutation of thefe vain rtieer Md*
raliils, may we ask them what they themfelves mean by
meer moral Virtue, the Diftinftion they are fo fond of?
Do they mean that Order of Thought and Axflion which
arifes from the conftitiited Nature of Things, as' confti-
tuted by the infinite Wifdom, Goodnefs, and HoHnefs
of God, or what together they call the immutable Righr
teoufnefs of God ? If they do, is not this immutable
Righteoufnefs of God that fteady and harnionious Re*
gard of the divine Will to all the Perfeftions of the De-
ity, by.theAffemblage of which into one unerring, all^
knowing, and all-gracious, general Perfeftion, ne re-
folves and does every thing, and without which he can
do nothing ? Is not tliis therefore that Righteoufnefs, Of
univerfal Reftitude, by which he conftituted' the Nature
and Relation of Things from which Conftitution all ttta-
ral Virtue arifes? And is not this that Rightebufnel^, 0^
unerring Rectitude, by which he inftituted the pofitivi^
Duties of Revealed Religion, as effedlual Helps lo the
Perfedtions of moral Virtue, and as Specimens to prov^
our moral Obedience by ? If fo, is it not fufficient, in
order to juftify our moral Obedience to thefe pofitive Ih-
ftitutions, that they have all the moral Eviderice'pofli-
ble for their divine Appointment, and fo lay allpoffible
moral Obligation upon us to obey them, without th^
Conceit and Arrogance of affurning to ourfelves aPow-*
er of diftinguifhing which Aftigns are fitteft to be doricj
thofe conftituted at the Creation of Man, or thofe con-'
ftituted at his Redemption, which opens more Glories
and divine Priviled,ges to Man than his Creation, or
taking upon us to judge which are better of God's De*
terminations and Adlions," this or that ; efpecially con-
iidering that this Limitation of Duty to meef' mpraj
Virtue, in the Senfe they contend for it, faps the Fbun*
dationof moral Virtue in general, and prevents the Efta-
blifliment of any ftated Religion In the World In pski*
cular, and ib cuts off all the outward Exercife,p^ Reli";
gion'in the World.

B 2 A Si,J?«

C lO

A SINCERE Moralift therefore upon his own Prin*
cipie, his Love, and entire Attachment to moral Vir-
tue, whether he confiders pofitivelnftitutions, as having
the fame moral Foundation, in the Nature of God and
Man, or as Helps ordained by God to teftify and com-
pleat our moral Obedience, he mull obferve them as
perfeftiveof that moral Virtue he adores, and afpires to
be perfeft in : And therefore muft heartily embrace Re-
vealed Religion upon the moral Evidence on which its
divine Authority ftands ; muft firmly believe, meekly
hear, diligently read, and confcientioufly obey the Scrip-
tures ; muft join in the publick. Worfhip of God in
fome uniform and fcriptural manner; muft devoutly ufe
God's holy Sacraments, and rely upon the Power and
Truth of God for their fanftifying and faving Efficacy i
muft fan£tify the Sabbath, to keep it holy •, muft obey
God in the outward Adminiftration of the vifible Church
byfuch Perfons whom God hath fpecially called and ap-
pointed for that Purpofe, obeying them that have the rule
ever them, ijuho watch for their fouls. All thefe pofitive
Inftiuitions of Religion are to be complied with for mo-
ral Reafons, as appointed by God, and as known by
Experience to enlarge the Bounds, and perfcft the Mea-
fure of moral Virtue. And therefore, in fti or t, the true
Import of fearing and ferving the Lord is expreffed,
in our excellent Church- Catechifm, under our Duty to-
wards God, which we leamt whilft we were Children,
which is our Duty now we are Men, and will be fo
whilft we have a Being, vtz. To believe in him, to

FEAR HIM, AND TO LOVE HIM WITH ALL OUR HEART,
WITH ALL OUR MiND, WITH ALL OUR SoUL, AND
WITH ALL OUR STRENGTH", TO WORSHIP HIM, TO

GIVE HIM Thanks, to put our whole Trust in

ttiM, to call upon HIM, TO HONOUR HIS HOLY

Name, and his WoR.d, and to serve him truly
ALL the Days of our Life.

This is the Good and the Right "Way recommended
by the Prophet, by divine Authority, in the Text, couch-
ed

[ «3 ]

ed under the general Inftruftion of' fearing the Lord,
and ferving him in Truth, and with all the Heart. I
proceed then,

Secondly, To enforce the Duties here recommended
by the fame Motives mentioned by-the Prophet, appli-
ed to ourfelves.

First, From aRecolleftion of theGreatnefs andVa-
riety of God's Beneficence towards this Nation. For
confider how great things he hath done for you.

To recount all the Inftances of God's publick Fa-
vours to this Land, whereby, under his Providence,
we have been condudted to the Knowledge and Poflefli-
on of Truth and Good, is impoffible at this Time. I
fhall therefore only remind you of fome of the principal
and moft general Bleffings vouchfafed by God to our
Anceftors and ourfelves : Such as in refpeft to Truth,
converting this Nation to the Chriftian Religion very be-
times, and, as is probable, by one of the firft and
greateft of the Chriftian Apoftles, St. Paul, who by a
fpecial Commiffion, fealed by the Miracle of his Con-
verfion, wasfent by the Gentiles (for ye know that ye
were Gentiles, carried away by dumb Idols, even as ye
were led) to turn them from darknefs to light, and from the
power of Satan unto God^ that they might receive forgivenefs
of finsy and inheritance among them that are fanSltfied by
faith that is in Chrifl. Bleffings of the higheft Import-
ance to Mankind, and which our Anceftors, by their own
early Converfion, had an Opportunity betimes of con-
verting their Pofterity, and teaching them thofe primi-
tive Doctrines of Chrift which they received from his
own Apoftle, that they might teach their Children the
fame ; thereby fucking Chriftianity from the Fountain-
Head before the Streams were polluted •, in confequence
of which the pure Profeffion of the Chriftian Religion,
under the original Government of Epifcopacy, was
found in the moft Weftern Part of this Ifland, when
St. jiugufline was fent hither to plant Chriftianity among
the Barbarians, who invad?d and conquered the Britains }

when

[ H J

when the Ancient Inhabitants, who were forced to retire
from their cruel Perfecutions into iralcs, there retained
the Chriftian Religion in the primitive Purity, without
any Dependance upon, or Corruptions from the ufurping
Powers and Innovations of the Church of Rome. For
which early Inftrudion in the Will, and faving Health of
God, our conftant Remembrance and devout Gratitude
h due, and efpecially our Obligation is the ftronger to /^•flr
and ferve the Lord iriTruth., andtvith allthe Heart.

As our Obligation ftill rifes higher from aSenfe of our
being reftoredto this primitive Profeffion of Chriftianity,
when afterwards Popery had found its way to deceive
and enflave our Anceftors, partly through theUnwari-
nefs and Indolence of Cliriftianshere, and partly through
the artful and beguiling Infmuations of Jefuitical Decei-
vers, who found Means to reduce them to thefuperftitious
Idolatries and Herefies of the Church of Rome., and there-
by involv'd them almofl: in the fame Ignorance, and
more Guilt than belong'd to them in their PaganSfatt ;
when they efpoufed Pagan Errors, and praftifed Pagan
Abominations, as the Church of Rome at prefent does,
under the clear Light and open Profeffion of theGofpel.
From which degenerate State of Chriftianity they were
happily delivered at the Protestant Refor-
mation; which Reformation, confidering the Power
and Influence of the Roman Church here at that
Time, and the ftrong and general Prejudice of
Education in its Favour, and that little Accident that
gave the firft Occafion to it, on the one Hand, and the
abundant Grace and divine Strength then exhibited in
thepublick Difputes, and perfuafive Writings, and con-
ftant patient Sufferings of our firft pious Reformers, can
only be imputed to an extraordinary Influence of the
purifying Spirit and intcrpofing Hand of God, forwhich
our Forgetfulnefs would be a Sin of high Guilt, and our
unreformed Lives the greateft Reproach to the Reforma-
tion of our Faith, feeing that tho' through the Mercy

of

[ 13 ]

of God we were reftor'd to the Truth of our Religion,
we are not yet reftor'd to the Power of it.

But more efpecially does our Obligation arife to
ferve and fear the L o r d in Truth, in Confideration
of theBleflingSjin refpe6t to Religion, which we this Day
commemorate in our Deliverance from the worft Pollu-
tions and Perfecution of this Church in the grand Re-
bellion : "When fome of our Companions and Partners
in the bleffed Privileges of the Reformation treacheroufly
join'd with a Fanatical Crew of Enthufiafts and Inde-
pendants, in an open and violent Aflault upon this moft
Reformed Church, to the utter Ruin of it ; anci at a
Time when it was confefled by foreign Proteftants of all
Denominations, to be the Bulwark of the Proteftant Caufe :
When under the moft hypocritical Pretence of a farther
Reformation in it, they feized the publick Adminiftra-
tion of it, changing fome, and ufurping others of its
original divine Powers ; abolilhing fome, and propha-
ning others of its Scripture Ordinances, polluting its
Divine Worfhip, perfecuting its faithful Minifters with
a malicious Cruelty, and dividing the Portion allotted
them by the Laws of G o d and Man, for a Prey to
themfelves. Thus changing the whole admirable Face
of this Church, fafhion'd in the Beauty of Holinefs, into
an odious Monfter, reprefenting Schifm,Herefy, Enthu-
fiafm, Prophanefs, Rebellion and Sacrilege. During
which Time the pure Religion that was undefiled before
God, and Ihone by the glorious Light of the Gofpel,
was almoft twelve Years under a Fanatical Eclipfe. But
this Day brings to Remembrance, when fhe emerged a-
gain in her Primitive Glory ; when the real Defender of
her Faith was happily reftor'd to his Juft Right, and
his Inclination accompanied with an Ability, and an im-
mediate Endeavour to aflert and reftore all her Rights,
and to defend her againft all her Enemies, foreign and
domeftick, for which our moft joyful and dutiful Ac-
knowledgements and Obedience will be always due to
God,

Especially

C i6 1

Especially when we cpnfider this Blefllng height-
ened to our Anceftors and ourfelves, in die Deliverance
of our twp famous Univerfities on tJie f^me Day (that
Day of general Goal-delivery of Truth and Juftice) from
the Fetters laid on their Hands and Mouths by the im-
placable Enemies of both ; and which, like thofe on the
Hands of St. Peter, fell off of their own Accord, when
their Natural, Rightful, and long defir'd Sovereign, as
an Angel of God, open'd their Prifon-Doors, and fet
them at Liberty to refume their fuccefsful Searches af-
ter all ufcful and beneficial Learning, under the qtmoft
Encouragement from the Royal Favour : And particu-
larly to refume and to maintain their ancient Arguments
for Loyalty and Primitive Chriftianity, which, under the
Conduft of God's Providence, were the perfuafive Caufe
of the Reformation, and made thefe two Univerfities
the Common Motl^r which by a joitft Labour gave
Birth to the Reformed Church of England ; and thefe
were the two fweet Breads from which Ihe originally fuck-
ed the fincere Milk of God's Word with which fhc
now feeds her Children.

These arefomeof lYitgreat Thingsln refpeft of Truth
and the right Way, which God hath done for this Nation
in thefe things greatly bleffed of the Lord. But left
thefe fiiould be thought Bleffings only to the Church,
let us pafs on to confider thofe which the State received
on this joyful Day. And in remembring thefe, the Mem-
bers of the Church have an equal Joy and Privilege, as
the State equally partakes in the Deliverances of the
Church : For the Church and State, which are by Law
cdablifli'd, are like undivided Twins which live and die
together -, and therefore they have a perfeft and moft na-
tural Sympathy in the Profperity and Adverfity of one
another. ThjS is that State which gave legal Birth and
Nourifhment to this Church, and defends it by the tem-
poral Sword . And this is that Church which gave fpiritual
Birth and Nourifhment to the State, and derends it by the
Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, from all fpiritua^

Invaders,

f 17 ]

Invaders, and therefore they ever rhourn and rejoice toge-
ther ; when one is alarmed with any approaching Evil,
the other is in Fear, and looks about to ward it orf; and
when one is crowned, with any kind of publick Succefs,
the other is crowned with Joy : and it is a Truth ac-
knowledged from long and conftant Experience, that the
heft Members of the Church are the beft Subjefts of the
State, and the beft Patriots of the State are the beft
Friends of the Church.

Let us then caft a joyful Eye upon the great Deli-
verance of the State from the Miferies of the Great Re-
bellion ; and that our joy may be fulU let us refleftalittfe
upon the Excellency of our Civil Conftitutjon, which
was this Day recovered from Anarchy and Confufion.

And here, if any Civil Government is founded in real
Truth, or poflTelTed of real Good, this is fo; fincenone
is condufted more for the Good of the Governors, and
the Governed, and the Glory of God than this, when
the Laws of our Conftitution take their free and natural
Courfe : for here is a wife, and moft defirable Balance
afcertained and fettled by Law between Power and Li-
berty, in a juft Limitation of the Prerogative of the
Crov/n, and the Priviledges of the People. A Balance
defirable in all Governments, but enjoyed only in ours.
For as Princes are but Men, and Subjedls have natural
Rights flowing from the original Defign of Government,
and as Princes have natural fovereign Rights inherent ia
Sovereignty, and Subjedts are liable to Diforder, foboth
Ihould be under fome legal Reftraints befides the Re-
ftraints of Confcience and Religio'n, for their mutual
Happinefs. Subjects are naturally under the ReftrainC
of the Law of their rightful Sovereign ; but tho' Princes
cannot be controuled by their Subjects without invert-
ing the Order of Things, yet gracious Princes may limic
their own Prerogative for the Improvement of Govern-
ment, and tranfmit it, fo limited^ to their Royal Heiri
and Succeffors as a Blefiing. And when a legaiStipu-

C latioa

[ i8]

latlon is made by the Prince to the People for fuch Li-
mitation, the People have a legal Right to it. And by
this means a Balance may be adjufted, and a Mean fet-
tled between arbitrary Power and Slavery.

But as no meer human Inftitutions can be perfect, fo
there can be no perfe£t Balance, in this refpeft, fet-
tled by human Counfels, though a Prince fhould be never
fo well inclined to eftablilh it. And feeing that thisBa-
lance muft in fome meafure be uneven, it feems mod
reafonable that the Sovereign, who is the natural Subjeft
of Power, fhould always have the turning of the Scale i
that an Exceeding of Prerogative fhould be on the Side
of the Prince, rather than Excefs of Liberty on the
Side of the People ; not only that Subjefts might oc-
cafionally exercife the Chriftian Duties of PaJJive Obedi-
ence, according to the Commands and Examples of our
Saviour and his Apoliles, but alfo that Sovereigns
might not exercife Civil Government like Machines, by
I^leceJJity j but might have the fame moral Liberty of
Governing well as the People have of Obeying -well,
for Confcience fake ; and that both might be capable of
thofe divine R -wards ordained by God for good Go-
vernors and good Subjects.

Yet it is our peculiar Happinefs in our Conflitution,
that we have a more gracious and perfedt Balance for
the Limitation of Power and Liberty than any Govern-
ment in the World. For as our Monarchs, to fup-
port the Dignity of their Charadler, have all the defi-
rable Enfigns of Majejly vefled in their Royal Perfons
and Prerogatives, the Regalia, the Guards, theSoldi-
ery, the Difpofition of Honours, and civil Truft, and
the general Execution of the Laws -, fo the People^ as a
prudent Counterpqife, are invefted by Law both with a
concurring and diffenting Authority in our Legidature,
and with the fole Grant of the Money to give the feve-
ral Royal Prerogatives their due Force, Efficacy and
Luftrc. Indeed, by the Laws of God and Nations a juft

Tri-

t--

[ '9 ]

Tribute is due to the Sovereign from every Subjedb for
the Dignity and neceflary Occafions of Government ;
and he will ever find it, and a chearful Giver in every
true Member of our Church, who are diftinguifhed for
their Love of Monarchy and Loyalty. Yet confidering
that both Kings and Queens are fubjeft to moral Cor-
ruption as well as all the reft of Mankind, and fo fub-
jeft to Ambition and Avarice, and when under the In-
fluence of thefe Pafllons, are ftrongly tempted to exer-
cife a lawlefs and oppreffive Sway, and indifcreetly to
impoverifli their Subjefts by unnecejfary Taxes j it may
be deemed one of the moft valuable Priviledges of the
Subjedbs, and one of the wifeft Provifions for good Go-
vernment, that our People, in their Parliamentary Ca-
pacity, have not only a defenfive Power in our Legifla-
ture, by which they may flop any ofFenfive Bill from
proceeding into a Law, but have alfo an uncontefted
Right to deny all unneceflary, and even inexpedient Sup-
plies -, efpecially all fuch as m.ay be hurtful to our excel-
lent Conftitution.

Nor does our moft 'Noble Houfe of Lords add any,
fmall matter to the Beauty and Strength of this political
Balance, by their Power to ftop any Bill tending to
weaken the Prerogative of the Crown, or diminifh the
Rights of the People. This Noble Houfe likewife
ferving to guard off a Democracy, the worft in its felf
of all Civil Governments, as the Obfervance of this Day
will ever teach this Nation, and the moft contrary to
the Genius of the People, by keeping on foot that va?^.
luable Prerogative of the Crown, for creating its own
Peers, to obviate any corrupt Harmony between the.
Lords and Commons, and to reward occafional|y^j^iofe
moft eminent and faithful Commoners who are moft tyue
to their King and Country.

Some perhaps may think the legiflative Power of
our Spiritual Lords the Biftiops of no neceflary Ser-
vice in our civil Conftitution, and to be confounding

C 4 Things

[ io ]
Things Spiritual with Things Temporal. But whoever
will confider, that our Clergy are natural Subjefts as
well as the Laicv, andth.it they were fubjedl: to many,
and now to almoft all the Laws of the Laity •, whoever
alfo confidersour Conftitution to be of a mix'd Nature,
partly religious and partly civil, the State having fome
juridical Share in the outward Admi'idration of the
Epifcopal Church -, and how far any ill, or miftaken,
Ufe of that Ecclcfiaftical Power by the State, may poffi-
bly affeft the Church in her Spirituals, and obftrudt or
difcourage the free Profeffion of trueChriftianity among
us: Whoever likewife confidtrs all the Laity asChrifli-
am as well as Sobjefts, whofc religious Intereft fliould
be confulted as well as their temporal -, and that for this
they are under the common Care of our Bifliops with
the Clergy : And, laftly, whofoever will confider the
prefumptive Capacity at lead of the Bifhops of our
Church (who ufually are behind no Bifhops in the Chri-
ftian World for Learning, Piety, and Prudence) to ad-
vife in the State in all Matters of religious Government,
can never think it an impolitick Refpeft to them, to
call them into the Great Councils of the Nation, and to
give them a Share with our Lay Rulers in the Civil Le-
giflature, for the fpiritual Defence and Advantage of
the People. And as this has the Afpe6l of being for
the common Good of Laity and Clergy, and tends to
preferve true Religion among us, I hope the Right Re-
verend Fathers of the Church will never, as they were
in the Great Rebellion, be voted ufelefs in the State.

This is our prefent excellent Civil Conftitution, and
calls for the fincere AfFeftion and Zeal of every true£«-
gtiJhiHan, and good Subjeft, for its Prefervation.

ANb as to the Form of our Government taken toge-
ther, it comes the neareft of any other to that by which
God governs the Univerfe and his Catholick Church ;
viz. a Trinity of Perfonages in an Unity of Majefty.
For as far as, keepii^ humble Diftance, things human

may

may be compared with Things divine, and Things fi-
nite with Things infinite, the 'Three Eftates of this
Rialm moft refemble the Theocracy ; each being
really diftinft from the other, and each ejfential to our
Conftitution, and all centring in a Monarchy li-
mited only by the divine Will, and regulated in its
publick Adminiftration by the divine Perfedtions ;
whilft it profefies to govern us by the Obligations
of the Scriptures and Right Reafon, which jointly con-
fpire in the Law of Universal Righteousness,
that Law which God is to him/elf, and which is
the Rule of his Univerfal Government in the Great King-
dom ofhis Providence. This being the true Nature of
our Conftitution, other Nations may well be provoked
to envy us, as they do, and to fay in their Hearts at
leaft. This is a great nation ; this is a wife andunderfland-
ing people. Bleffed are the people that are in fuch a cafe ;
yea^ indeed, bleffed are we who in this manner have the
Lord for our God! which fhould provoke us, in thofe
pathetick Words of King Davids fpoken of the pecu-
liar City of God, to fay one to another, in refpecSt of
this our Jerufalem, O pray for the peace of Jerufakniy
they fhall profper that love thee \ peace be within thy walls^
arid plenteoufntfs within thy palaces^ for my brethren and
companions fake I will wifh thee now profperity -^ yea^ be-
caufe of thehoufe of the Lord our God, / willfeek to do
thee good; and moft of all fhould provoke us to fear the
Lord, and to ferve him with all our heart, confidering
how great things he hath done for us, in blefling us with
fuch a Conftitution, in reftoring it again (to us, when ic
was utterly loft, and in preferving it to this day.

And this we ftiall think ourfelves much more obliged,
and be more heartily inclined to do, when we have re-
flefted a little upon the miferable State of our Anceftors
at the Great Rebellion.

It

[ Z2 ]

It will not, I own, become the joyous Afped of
this blefled Day to draw too great a Gloom upon it, by
a full Confideration of the manifold and piercing
Troubles this Nation then fuffered. I fliall thertfore
draw only fuch a Shade from them, as may render the
Senfe of our Deliverance more pleafing, without making
it frightful : and yet in regard to the Prophet's fecond
Motive for fearing the Lord, and fervinghim, it ought
to be made fo tiightful as to deter us from flill doing
vjickedly, left -we be confumed, both we and our king.

It is iuftly acknowledged by a folemn national peni-
tential ConfelTion yearly, that the Sins of the Nation
drew down that heavy Judgment upon it. And, in-
deed, whoever confiders thofe Times as handed down to
us in Hiftory, will find that a general Spirit of Irreli-
gion then prevailed, which by degrees brought on that ge-
neral Spirit of Rebellion which involved the whole Nation
in Mifery : For when the firft Seeds of it were fcattered
about by the Republican Faftion, and appeared tofpring
into unreafonable Clamours and Difcontentment againft
the mildefl and moft religious King then in the World,
they foon grew up into armed Men, and united into a
formidable Army, which was not afraid to difobey the
King and his Laws, nor to infult him, nor to fpit in
his Face, nor to ftrip him of all his Kingly Power, nor
to take away his Life in the open Street, and before his
Palace-Gate. And having killed the King, they took
PoflefTion, and with great Precipitation thus voted the
Conftitution down.

By voting Monarchy unneceflary, burdenfome, and
dangerous, then voting the Houfe of Lords ufelefs, and
dangerous •, after they had firfl voted the Bilhops out of
It, and incapable of being in theCommiflion of Peace v
then turning their own Voters out of the Houfe of Com-
mons by Violence for difobeying the Inclination and Or-'
ders of the Army. And as to our Church, they voted
down the Pillars upon which it ftood and flourilhed,
i. e. Epifcopacy, our Common-Prayer, the Creed, the

Lord's

[ 23 ]
Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments. In this
irreligious Condition, what could be expected, but that
Anarchy, and Confufion, and Oppreflion which follow'd !
for now their chief Leaders did not know what, to do;
fometimes they thought bed to govern the People by
that fxnftified Remnant of the difperfed Parliament,
fometimes by a more fanftified Council of Scate, and
fometimes by the Saint General and his Officers, whofe
Banners were filled with Scripture. And thefe. iriter-
changeably ruled as the Spirit of Ufurpation prevailed
in them. But which Side foever feemed uppermoft, it
was plain enough that the Army ruled all. And what
muft be the EfFedls of a military Government every
body may guefs, and it will be hard to guefs worfe than
it then happened.

For now who knew what Laws were in Force? and
who dared to plead thofe that were ? Private Subjects
knew not tb which to have recourfe to redrefs their pri-
vate Complaints againft each other. .For every body's
Poffeffions were now grown precarious, and fubjeft to
Rapine by theFIandsof one another. No Man's Houfe
was any longer his Caftle, nor fafe Retreat -, no Man's
Shop was his own Store-houfe, but Houfe and Shop
fubje6t to be entered and fearched by the Commiffion
of irrefiftible Power, as if all were Excife-men, faving
in this Comparifon for theLegahty of thefe Cm/ Officers
Proceedings. The Enemies of many were thofe of their
own Houfe ; for Kelations met fometimes to encounter,
feize, and deftroy each other ; zndi Friends, who in the
general Hurry were cafually enlifted into Armies of op-
pofite Command, were either obliged to kill one the
other, or by the inexorable martial Law to die for their
friendly Difobedience. In this lamentable Cafe tlae Na-
tion was involved, and feemed literally to fuffer the
Judgments threatened by God upon the finful Jews,
defcribed by the Prophet in thefe Words ; The daughter
of Ziori beiuailed herfelf, and fpead out her hands, Ajf^'*?,

nsjoe

[ ^4]

woe is me hecaufe of the murderers ! How Jong fiall I fee the
ftandard^ and hear the found of the trumpet ! O go not
forth into the field^ nor -walk by the way^ for the fword of
the enemy and fear is on every fide ! Then defiru6iian upon
deftruRion was ctied \ then did God deliver the ftrength of
this city, and the labours thereof, and all the precious things
thereof^ and all the treafures of the kings of Judah^ into
the hand of our enemies. Then did this Church partake
in the Fate of t\\t. State -y for then did God forfake his
boufe, and left his heritage, and gave the dearly beloved of
bis foul into the hands of its enemies. Then did God vex
us in his fore difpleajure ; then did he confume both us and
our king.

To be delivered in this Extremity of Diftrefs was a
Blefling beyond the reach of Hope. To be delivered
neverthelefs in fo compleat, in fo fudden, and in fo
peaceable a manner, when things changed as if they had
never been difplaced, and fell again of their own Accord
from the greateft Confufion into their old Order, was
moft furprizing ! This moft certai.ily was the Lord's do-
ing^ and it was fo marvellous in the eyes of our Anceftors,
that they were like unto them that dream ; and when they
could recover themfelves, then was their mouth filled with
laughter, and their tongue with joy : And every body's
Song then was, The Lord hath done great things fur us,
yea^ the Lord hath done great things for us already,
whereof ivc rejoice. And we their Pofterity who par-
take fijlly in the piefling, have Reafon to fay, in re-
fpedt of this Thankfgiving, upon that OcCafion, This
is the day which the Lord hath made^ we will rejoice
andbeglad init. Which brings me.

Lastly, To draw two or three Inferences, and fo
conclude.

First, We may here infer the Holiness, Justice,
and Mercy of Providence. His Holinefs in appoint-
ing the Religious Conduft of a Nation, the Condition
of his Favour towards it ; his Juftice in inflifting Pir-

nifhment

C 2-5]

ftifhment upon it according to its Wickednefs,and his
Mercy in fparing it for its Repentance. This has been
his Conduft from the Beginning, and appears firft in
a more vifible and fpecial manner in the Cafe of his
own People, whilft they were under the inimediate
Adminiftration of a Theoracy ; whofe Covenant with
them was, If ye ivill obey my voice, and hearken unto my
commandments to do them, I ivill be your God, and ye
Jhall be my people, and I will love you and hlefs you. But
cur fed is every Man, i. e. the whole Nation in its fociate
Capacity, that ob'eyeth not the words of this covenant.
And to encourage their Repentance when their Wick-'
ednefs had laid them under the Chaftifement of the
Lord, he fays, If my people which are called by my
tiamefhall humble themfehes^ and pray, andfeekmyface^
and turn from all their wicked ways, then I willhear from
heaven, and will forgive their fm^ and will heal their
nation: And as it was promifed and threatned foitcame
to pafs, for when they were exemplary in their Obe-
dience to God, they were made to overcome their
enemies, to poffefs houfes full of good things, and they did
eat and were filled, and deliglited themfelves in the divine
goodnefs. But when they generally revolted, God gave
them over to their enemies ; and curfing., vexation, and
rebuke.^ in all that they put their hand to^ fell upon them.
Neverthelefs^ in the time of their Tpenitenthltrouble^whea
they cried he heard them, and according to his manifold
mercies he gave them a Saviour who faved them from
the hands of their enemies. And this has been the
Conftant Conduct of Providence towards all Nations j
for as the righteous Lord loveth righteoufnefs , fo inevefy
nation he that worketh righteoufnefs is accepted with him.,
and as the general kingdom is the Lord's, and he is the
governour among the nations, fo \vt judges the folk
righteoufly, and governs the nations upon earth. Add
as Nations and all particular incorporated Societies of

D Men

[ 2(J]

Men end with this World, fo they Can be, and are on-
ly rewarded andpuniflied as fuch in this World. And
if God any time feems to fufpendhis Judgment from
a finful Nation, it is either that the riches of his goodnefs
in his forbearance and longfuffering may bring them to
repentance, or that they are not yet ripe for a general
Judgment ; or elfe the good People which are a-
mongft them, who muft needs be involved in a gene-
ral Calamity , are the Caufe of a farther fufpenfion, God
fometimes being willing to fpare a City if there be
fifty righteous, nay, peradventure there be ten found
in it.

Hence, Secondly, may be inferr'd, that it equal-
ly concerns all Nations /o /ear /^^Lord, and ferve him
in truth with all the heart. For all Nations are not
only alike fubjeft to him, but equally dependant up-
on him, for the Grant, Prefervation, and Continuance of
their national Privileges, and fo equally obliged to
obey the Laws he hath fet before them ; for tho' the
fame numerical Laws, no not of wer^/Righteoufnefs,
are not fet before all Nations, he giving fome greater,
and fome kffer Knowledge of thefe Laws, according
to his good Pleafure, from whence arifes the different
Obligations of Mankind, yet he expeftethfrom each
Nation according to the publick Talent deliver'd to
each, and the Means and Opportunity they have to
improve it.

Hence, "thirdly, we plainly may infer the great-
ftefsof our own publick Obligation to fear the Lord,
and to ferve him in truth, feeing that it may juftly be
cxpoftulated with us. For what nation hath Jlatutes
and judgments fo righteous as all thofe I have laid
before you this day ? And feeing we have fuch Helps
and Motives to Obedience from thz Re-war dsd.ndGrate
given us as Chriftians, and feeing ourfelves in the midft
of fuch an abundance of Bleflings fpiritual and tempO'

ral,

C ^7 ]
r«/, and guarded and preferved by fo many eminent
Inftances of God's w«rfl|/«/ and y«w»5 Providence; fo
that we fhall be the moft ungrateful and finfu] Peo-
ple upon Earth, if by our joint Endeavours in the Ways
of the Chriftian Life we do not caufe our national
Righreoufnefs, Piety, and good Works, to bear a Pro-
portion to the great things he hath done for us.

Hence in particular the Sovereigns of this blefled
Nation rnay fee the Prudence^ the Felicity^ and the
Honour of governing themfelves and their People by
Religion ; how it reflefts double Luftre upon Ma-
jefty, when they reprefent the divine Holinefs as well
as the divine Power, and follow thofe Refolutions of
holy King David in their Royal Condud, I 'will not
know a wicked per/on j whofo kadeth a godly life^ he
Jhall be myfervant, and he that telleth lies Jhall not
tarry in my ftght^ becaufe every wife kingfcattereth the
wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them. How this
would enable them in the beft manner to fecure and
enjoy their Dominions ; ior< the throne is eftablifhed
by righteoufnefs : How it would even extend their Do-
minion, and fortify their Guard, by fetting up a
throne in the Heart of each Subjedt, to which each
would pay a chearful Duty. For nothing is fo endea-
ring to the good Part of the Subjefts as univerfal
Goodnefs in their Sovereign ; and nothing is io foft-
ning to bad ones ; for the Goodnefs of a King^ like that
of God, whom he immediately reprefents, leadeth to
repentance. Hence they may alfo learn the high Ag-
gravations of Guilt, and the fpecial Jbomination
it is for Kings to do, or to connive at wickednefs.
Confidering, that God is a king among princes,
that he can refrain thefpirit of princes ; that he lead-
eth princes away fpoiled ; that he is a King over all the
Children of Pride ; that he changeth the times., and
nmovetb and. fetteth up kings. That no king can be fa-
D 2 i^ei

[ 18 ]
ved hy the multHiide of an hoft •, that wifdom is better
than fiyength ; that the way of the Lord is flrength ;
that he poarelh contempt upon (bad) princes^ and that
he hath inftrufted his Prophet to admonifli all fuch
in thefc Words, Say unto the king, and to thequeen^
humble your fehes, fit down, for your principalities fiiall
come dcw;j, czrn the crown in which ye glory ; * for they
have not ferved thee in their kingdom., and in thy great
goodncfs which thou gaveft them, and in the large and
fat land which thou gavefl before them -f.

Hence our noble and honourable Senators may-
learn the true Political IVifdom, by pointing all their
Views, Counfels, and A(fts, to die Advancement of
God's Glory, the Good of his Church, the Safety,
Honour, and Welfare of the Sovereign and his King-
doms ; and whenever they fhall perceive a Confedera-
cy of ill Men forming themfelves againft the Lord
and his Anointed, and the /*«■ o/)/e of the Lord, and
forgettirg their publick Duty, and endeavouring on-
ly in the ivays of corruption to enrich themfelves, and
ftrengthen themfelves in their wickednefs ; how much it
will then concern thofe that zrc faithful in the L,ORp
zealoudy to oppofe them ? And if ever iniquity fhould fo
far abound, that they neither by legal Numbers, nor
faithful Counfels, fhall be zh\c to over-rule a.nd prevent
their evil Meafures, then with Hearts full of the fear
ofthel^oRD, and of Loyalty iLud publick Spirit, let them
feparate themfelves from fuch Enemies to God and
yV/(?«, and each fay to his Soul, O my foul., come not
thou into their fecret^ unto their ajfemblies, mine honour,
be not thou united ; and let them even diftinguifh them-
felves by the jufl Regard to their Soul., and to their
Honour, as never to betray the Caufe of God and
Virtue for the finful Reward of a Bribe., nor to admit,

*Jereip. xiji. \%, \ Nehem.ix. jj.

as

C 29 ]

as a Fetter upon their Integrity the mean Temptation
of a Stipend. And let fuch faithful Patriots, if
"~even they fliould fufFer the Lofs of any Worldly Ho-
nour or Profit, by means of their Fidelity, be folaced
with the Confolationof their partaking in the high Re-
putation of Mofes, that eminent Servant and Prophet
of God, in chujing rather to fuffer affliction 'with the
feople of God, than to enjoy, in Pharaoh's Court, the
fkajures of fin for a feafon.

Hence ourholy Fathers of the Church, ourBifhops,
may fee the ftrifteft Obligation upon them, when they
fit in the Congregation of Princes, to give no Counfel
but what is from the Lord -, to abide conftantly by
that excellent Rule of the Prophet Balaam, the word
that God putteth in my mouth, that will I [peak ; efpe-
cially to imitate him in that glorious y^//'-^f>»j);/»^Refo-
lution. If Balak (the King) would give me his houfe
full of filver and gold I cannot go beyond the word of
the Lord my God, to do lefs or more ; confidering what
a Debafement it would be to thtlr fupreme Order in the
Church to proftitute their fpiritual Thrones to do any
of the mean Drudgery and finful Services of temporal
ones.

Hence our Judges in all Ages may learn to arrive
at the moft amiable Charafter of the upright Job, by
putting on, after his Example, righteoufnefs as their
clothing, a.nd judgment as a Robe and Diadem ; the
Confequence 6f which was to Job, when the ear heard
him, it bleffid him. And confidering that thefe aw-
ful Magiftrates fit to declare the Judgment of God,
it would be the worft Abufe of their 'frufi, and the
greateft Forfeiture of their Honour, for them ever to
receive either the Matter of their Charge, or the Mea-
fures of their Juftice, from the depraved Inclination
andDidlates of any corrupt and irreligious Court, or of
any howfoever great Benefactor.

Hence

C 30 ]

Hevce our Clergy of the inferior Clafs, towhofc
daily Labours and religious Care the Souls of the Peo-
ple of this Land are immediately committed, may
learn at all times to difcharge their divine Truft with
the utmoft Fidelity, and never to handle the Word
of God deceitfiilly, but as of Jirtcerity, but as of God,
in the fight of God *, conftantly to fpeak the Truth,
boldly to rebuke Vice, and though never defi-
rous, yet always refign'd, meekly to fufFer for the
Truth fake, and maugre all Difcouragements of this
"World, and in Denial of all Worldly Temptations
and Allurements, fo to take heed to themfelves, and to
their doSirines, that they may favfi their own fouls, and
theirs that hear them.

Hence our Magiftrates of the inferior Order may
learn with Zeal, though not with Power, equal to our
fuperior Judges, truly and indifferently to minifter
Juftice, to the Punifliment of Wickednefs and Vice,
and to the Maintenance of God's true Religion a-
mong us.

Hence our military Commanders and Officers, of
•whatever Denomination, may learn to keep them-
felves, and thofe under their refpeftive Commands,
in Obedience to the Civil Power and the Laws of
God. And as they are commendably diftinguifhed
for their Honour, may never forfeit that Honour by
receiving Pay, nor by ufing Force againft their King,
nor againft their Country.

Hence our Merchants, many of whom, like thofe
oi Tyre, may be compared, without Offence, to fome
Princes for the Splendor of their Condition, for the
Greatnefs of their Fortunes, and for the Civility of
their Manners, may always learn, by a fair Com-
merce, to render to all their due, to fay tribute where

* i Cor. ij. 17.

trihuti

[ 3t ]

tribute' is due^ cuflom to -whom cujiotn, fear to "whont
fear., honour to whom honour.

Hence this moft renowned City, to which the
Charafter of Tyrey in refpedl of Commerce, literally
belongs, wbofe traffickers are the honourable of the
earth, and the harvefi of the river is her revenue^ and
/he is a mart of nations, may learn by the religious
Privileges which Ihe enjoys above 'tyre, or any City
in the World, to be as renowned for her Piety, and
Firtue, and good Works, as fhe is for her Riches and
Splendor.

Hence all the private Subjefts of this Nation,
who move in no Sphere of publick Power, may learn
to fiudy to he quiet, and to do their own bujinefs, to lead
quiet and peaceable lives, in all godlinefs and honefiy, to
fear God, and to do his prophets no harm, to reverence
bis priejis {whofe mouths preferve knowledge) and give
them their portion ; and, in a Word, to honour, adorn,
and defend this happy Conftitution in Church and
State, to fear God and the King, and not meddle
with them that are given to change.

Then may we all, from the King on his Throne to
the Poor on the Dunghill, puj our Truft in the Lord
our God, and in the Mercy of the molt High, we
fhall none of us mifcarry.

To conclude ; Having every one of us fully con-
fidered how Great Things God hathdone forus.
Jet us fear the Lord, and ferve him in truth with all-
our heart ; let us rejoice together with an innocent
I and pious Mirth for the Bleffings of the Day -, a!nd
let us ALL fiand up and hlefs the Lord our God for
ever and ever ; and bleffed be his glorious name, which is
txaltedfar above bleffing and pratfe. Amen.

FINIS.

Lately publifhed,

TH E Sacred Authority of Chriftian Bifliops, and
the Piety of Praying for them in Prifon. A
Sermon preached at Rochejier Cathedral, on Occafion
of the Imprifonment of Dr. Atterbury, late Bj»
Ihop of Rocbefter.

A Sermon preached at Heriford-Sc\voo\ Feaft.
A Sermon preached at the opening of Dartford'
Work-houfe.

Thefe three by CharUs Chambres, M. A, Vicaf
of Dartford, Kent.

Printed for tho. Aftky, at the Rofe, over againft
the North-Door of St. Paul's.

CHRISTIANITT]

Diftindt from the

Religion of Nature,

In Answer
To a late Book, Entitled,

Chriftianity as Old as the Crea-
tion, &c.

Part. I.

Being an Examination of the Author's General Hy-
fothefis, that Natural and Reveal' d Religion differ
only in the manner of their being communicated.

By Thomas Broughton, A. M.
Reader at the Temple-Church.

LONDON:

Printed for Weaver Bickerton at Lord
Bacon's Head, the Corner of Paljgrave-Head-
Courty without 'Temple-Bar, 1732.

(i)

PREFACE.

[HE Ingenious^ Author, whofe
elaborate Performance I have
undertaken to examine^ pre-
tends to have dijcover'd the
true and' only Secret o/' Re-
conciling Natural and Reveal'd Religion:
A Secret truly Such hitherto; and for
which the Chrijlian U^orld is folely indebt-
ed to the happy Genius: and Penetration of
this Author, Indeed, when nioe confider
how natural and eafy an Hypothefis this
Gentleman has luckily hit upon, it may
feem a little Strange, that itjhou'dfo long
have efcapd the fagacity and diligence of
the learnedejl Chrijlian Writers. But the
Glory of it was due by Fate to the Pre-
fent Age, and the particular Honour of
the Dtfcovery refervd for the Ingenious
Author of Chriftianity as Old as the
Creation, fife.

A 2

Had

Had the Learned Apologifts for tie
Chriftian Religion been acquainted with
this modern Hypothefis, ivbai an^hifiniti
deal of ^trouble li-ou'd it bavefav'd them ?
How fuperfuous now appear alt their
Labours ; how unnecejary the Pains they
took in vindicating the particular Docirines
and Preeepts of this Religion, byfjewifig
their conformity and agreement icith the
unprejudic'd DiSlates of Right Reafon?
Had they drear^t sf our Authf^ Stheilie,
they might have thrown by their Pens,
■end only replfd to their Adverfaries^ that
Chriftianity was but Another Name for
the Religion of Nature, and 'the bujinefs
bad been done; nor need they have Spent
their time, and their oil, in proving the
Sun to be as bright as the Sun, or Snow
as white as Snow. But they were fooh
ijlily taught to think there was fomething
more in the Religion of Jefus, than in
That of Meer Nature.

Notwithjlanding the many excellent
Apologies ybr the Reafon ablenels o/" Chri-
ftianity, This Gentleman is confident, that
the received Notions concerning it tend t»
dejtroy that Harmony, which ought t»
fubfijl between It, and the Religion of
Nature ; and therefore, prompted by Zeat
for the Honour of Religion, and grievdy
that two fuch good Friends Jhou'd differ y

( iii)
he kindly interpofes for their mutual Re-
conciliation. But

— Aliquis latet Error, Equo ne credite
Teucri.

'fbere have been many Attempts of late
to deflroy the Credit of the Cliriftian Re-
velation. To effeB this, the Authors have
generally levell'd their Arguments againfl
the Evidence of it : A Method of Attack,
which requires the Infidel to be a Man of
great Reading, and ivell vers'd in Anti-
quity. If the Attack he made on the
Prophecies of the Old Teftament, faid
to be accomplifh'd in the perfon of Chrift ;
the Author muft be equipp'd with a large
fhare of Hiftorical and Critical Learn-
ing. To overthrow the Credit of our Sa^
viour's Miracles, he mufi mifapply the Al-
legorical Interpretations of the Fathers ;
and confequently muft have read 'em. Our
Author s Oppofition is carry d on at a much
eajier rate, and at little or no expence
of Learning. It cuts the Controverfy
between the Patrons of Chriftianity and
Derfm extreamly fhort. To what pur-
pofe fhou'd you difpute whether the Chri-
ftian Religion be a true Religion, if it be
an Ufelefs one ? Admit but its Infignifi-
cancy ; and any controverfy about the Au-
thority

( iv )

thority of the Evangelical Writings is of
lefs importance^ if pojjible, than the fa-
mous one between a great Critick, and a
great Wit, about the Genuinenefs of Pha-
laris'i Epiftles.

If this Author's Scheme be jujily found-
ed, what becomes of the boajled Advan-
tages of Chriftianity above the Religion
of Nature ? In vain may jhe plead, that
jhe has inJiruSted us in the True Wor-
ftiip of the Supream Being, from which
Mankind (even the Politefl: Nations) had
ziniverfally departed : that Jhe has brought
Life and Immortality to Light, by gi-
ving us a full affurance of a Future
State, concerning which the Learnedeft
Heathens confefid their doubts : that jhe
has affurd the Sinner of (what he cou'd
never be certain of from the Light of
Nature) not only Pardon and Impunity,
but even of Favour and Eternal Happi-
nefs, upon the eafy terms of Repen-
tance : that Jhe has given the World a
compleat and uniform Syftem of Mo-
rality, which, till then, lay fcatter'd in
the endlej's Writings of a croud of Phi-
lofophers ; attended with Difficulties,
Uncertainties, and even Contradidlions :
and, lajlly, that Jhe has encouraged and
promoted the practice of virtue and good-

nejs

(V)

nefs by ftronger ObligationSj' ly nobler,
and better Motives, and by fuch Duties
of a Pofitive Nature, as evidently tend
more effeSiually to fecure the Interefts of
True Religion in the world. All thefe^
and many other. Advantages Jhe may
now boajl in vain. If this Author's
Scheme takes place^ jhe mujl be con-
tented for the future to Jiand upon the
footing of meer Natural Religion, if
not to give way to it, as the better and
more PerfeSi Syjlem of the 'Two.

When we confider bow eafy and com-
pendious an Hypothefis nat of our
Author's is, one wou'd think it might
lye in the compafs of a few Sheets, and
be compriz'd, at moji, in a Shilling Pam-
phlet : injiead of which, out comes a
thick Quarto, ciofely printed, in a fmall
Letter. He makes his Attack, not like
a light-arm'd Parthian, witb a Sling
only, or a Bow-, but Goliah-like ; as if
he thought by the weight and bulk of
his armour to bear down Chrijiianity, in
fpite of the Strongejl Oppoftion. ; And
yet, arnid as this Champion is at pre^
fent, he is but half equipp'd ; for we
are threatned with Volume the Second;
Which, from the praSlice of all Authors,
Antient and Modern, I prefume will not
is inferior^ in bulk and fze, to this he

hai

(vi)

bas already favoufd the wuorld with-
And yet I "will venture to affure the
Reader, thdt the Suhfiance of this for-
midable tvork might be drawn up even
in a lefi compaji^ than ivhat I have
mentiond.

If any one, ivho has not read our Au-
thor's performance, is curious to knvw by
•what arts he has fwell'd fo brief an
Hypothefis- to fo large a fze; He has
done it, frji, by exprejftng the fame Prch
po/ition in a great variety of Language;
for, to do him juftice, he is a dextrous
mafter of the poble Science of Tauto-
logy: next, by many and long Quota-
tions from our moji eminent Englifh Di-
vines, and others; whofe fentiments con-
cerning the Excellency and PerfeSlion of
Natural Religion he has endeavour d to
accommodate to his oinn Syjfem ; Jo that
•were you only to turn over the Leaves,
and obferve the great Names cited in
the Margin, you wou'd imagine, that
Tillotfon, Locke, ^rrow. Stanhope,
Sherlock, Gfr. were all of the fame Sen-
timents with the Ingenious, Dr. T — I:
in the next place, by a long detail of the
fad confequences, and extream mi [chiefs,
fl/" Bigotry, Prieftcrafr, <7«i Superftition •
in which, it mujl be confefs'd, he has
laid out a great deal of Rhetorick, and-

Reading :

( vii )

Reading : and lajlly by numberlefs misap-
plications ^«^ mifinterpretations of Scrip-'
ture.

But there is one Beauty in his fnan-
ner of treating the fubjeSl^ which I can-,
not help taking notice of and that is The
Dialogue. " This (he tells us in his.
" Preface) was by the Antients ejieem'd
" the moft proper, as nsoell as prudent,
" Way of expofing prevailing Abfurdi-
" ties; and TuUy's tnjoo Books De Na-
" tura Deorum, and De Divinatione^'
" both levell'd againji the Juperjiition of
" his country-men, are living monuments'
" of the ufefulnefs and expediency of this
" manner of writing" I entirely agree
with him in his approbation of this man-f
ner of writing. But how has he copied
thefe excellent Originals? In Cicero's
Pieces the Perfons of the Dialogue are
all allow' d fair Play. Whatever can be
pleaded on either ftde of the ^uefiioh is
fairly produced. Tully's own Sentiments
are generally diff'embled, whilji he holds
the Balance with an impartial hand be-
tween the Stoick, the Academick; -and-
the Epicurean. But How different is our
Authors CouduB? The Perfons of his
Dialogue are A. and B. — A. is the lit-
tle-Hero of the Argument; and poor B.
is only introducd, to give the doughty
Difputant an Opportunity of exulting in
a th$

( viii )

the fuperkrity of bis under/landing. What-
ever he fays is very little to the purpofe :
he even fancies Difficulties, where there
are none. Thus the One fubmits before
he is confuted, and the Other triumphs
without a vidlory. This Artifice of our
Authors puts me in mind of the awk-
ward Excufe, which Bayes, in the Re-
hearfal, makes for the fiUinefs and im-
pertinence of one of his Characters ,
•which was, that he undcrwrit that part
on purpofe to fet off the reft.

1 might obferve, likewife, an Impro-
priety (not to fay a contradidlion) in
the very Title of his Book. For if
the Gofpel be but a Republication of
the Law of Nature, how can Chri-
ftianity be as old as the Creation ;
unlefs the Republication of a Law can
be as old as the Law itfelf ? Suppofe the
Subftance of a Law, made in the Reign
of Harry the eighth, be re-enaded in
That of George the Second, wou'd it be
proper, or even true, to fay, that the
latter ASl of Parliament bears the fame
date with the former, becaufe the Sub-
ftance of them both is the fame? — Is
the late Dr. Clarke's ne\V Edition of
Homer as old as the Poem itfelf? /
defign not to quarel with him for a meer
Inaccuracy, or Impropriety of Expreffion,
fince his meaning is plain enough. My rea-

fon

(k)

fonfor this Remark is, becaufe be has m-
dently borrowed the Title of his Book
from the prefent Bifhop of Bangor's Ser-
mon before fhe Societies for the Propa-
gation of the Gofpel. (vid. Chrifi. as
old, &c. p. jg.) But, furefyy it is one
thing to fay, with his Lordjhip, that The
Gofpel (or Chriftianity) isDECLARA-
TivE o/'That Religion, which
was as old as the Creation j and another,
to fay, with our Author, that Chriftianity,
Itself is as old as the Creation.

Before Ifinijh my Preface, it may be
proper to /icquaint the Reader with the
Method I intend to purfue, in anfwering
the Author of Chriftianity as old as the
Creation, .£?c. 'thd the ObjeBions, which
he has ftarted againjl the Chriftian Reve-
lation, be what he had Principally in
view, as the true End and Defgn of his
Scheme; yet, tofet out with an immediate
Reply to thofe Objedlions is, I apprehend,
to begin at the wrong end of the Contro-
verf^ ; fince, if he can but efiablijh his Ge-
neral Hypothefis, that Natural and Re-
veal'd Religion differ only in the manner
of their being communicated, Chrijiiani-
ty muji fall of courfe, as will appear, when
we come to cmfider the rucejfary confequen-
ces of it. It is, therefore, the Bujinefs of
this firft Part, with which I now prefent
a 2 ■ the

(X)

the Reader, to cut off this Retreat, this
Dernier Refbrt, a7id to dejiroy the very
Foundation, upon "which All his Arguments
againfl the Expediency and Ufe of Divine
Revelation are founded : and that, by
flating the true Notibn of the Perfeftion
of Natural Religion (the grand fupport of
our Author's Hypothefis) in fuch a man-
ner, as to avoid the two Extr earns of Af
ferting, with Him, Natural Religion to
be Abfolutely Perfeft; with others, to be
Abfolutely Imperfed: ; and to leave Room
for God Almighty to give his Creatures
Occafional Laws, as their Wants and Exi-
gencies may require. 'The Reader will like-
wife here fee the true foundation, upon
which alone the Expediency o/'Revelation
ca?i be built.

■ In my next Part I propofe to confider
the other Branch of this Author's Scheme %
which is, that No Pofitive Precepts can
be a Par* either of Natural or Reveal'd
Religion : A Point, which, in his opini-
on, can alone decide the ^ejlion. Whe-
ther Natural and Reveal'd Religion do
really differ.

When this is done, it will be, then,
proper to anfwer this Author's mojl mate-
rial Objedtions to the Credit and Authori-
ty of Revelation in general, a7id The
Chriftian in particular.

THAT

( o

'HAT It is the real Defign
of the Author of Chrijii-
anity as old' as the Creation,.
&G. to fet afide the Go/pel
Revelation, not only as ii/e-
iefs, but even prejudicial, to mankind,
is very plain, notwithftanding 'his re-
peated profeffions to the contrary, from
the very different Lights, in which he
has feverally plac'd Natural and Re-i
veatd Religion. The former he every
where defcribes as abjolutely Jufficienf,
alike ^x. all times, for all: the purpofes
of Human Happinefs, and, among
others, beftows on it this glorious En-
comium, that " If the higheft inter-
" nal^ Excellence, the greateft Plainneis
" and Simplicity, Unanimity, Univerfa-
" lity, and Antiquity, nay Eternity, can
" recommend a Law; all thefe do, in
B "an

(2 )

« an eminent degree, belong to the
" Law of Nature ; a Law, which does
" not depend on the uncertain meaning
" of Words and Phrafes in dead Lan-
" guages, much lefs on Types, Meta-
" phors. Allegories, and Parables; or
« on the skill, or honefty, of weak, or
" defigning, Tranfcribers (not to men-
" tion Tranflators) but on the immuta-
" ble Relations of Things, always vi-
« fible to the whole World: " {p. 64.)
whereas Revelation, befides that it is
encumber'd with all the abovemention'd
DiffkuUies and Uncertainties, from
which the Law of Nature is free, is re-
^K^fented, as frequently contradidiing the
Nature and Reafbn of Things ; as be-
ing of doubtful and uncertain Evidence ;
as Partial and loefFeftual to the Purpo-
fes, for which it was given ; and as ha-
ving been aftually the Caufe of Infinite
Inconveniencies and mifchiefs to man-
kind.

It is true, our Author does not open-
ly avow this hojiile defign againft the
Ghriftian Revelation: on the Contrary,
His is the mod Healing Scheme imagi-
nable } is calculated " greiately to ad-
*' vance the Honour of External Reve-
•' ktion, by (hewing the perfect Agree-
!' ment between That and Internal Rc-

" velation >

( 3 )
" velation j and, by £o doings deftroys
" one of the moft fuccefsFul Attempts,
" that has been made on Religion, by
" fetting the Laws of God at variance."
(p. 8.) And it muft be confefs'd, to the
Honour of this Gentleman's Scheme,
that He has luckily hit upon a moft in-
fallible method of Reconciling . Naturai
and Reveal'd Religion, and that is, by
making 'em both, in all refpeMsy ex-
adly the Same; and Chrijiianity muft
for the future moft unnaturally quar-
rel with Itjelf, if it is any longer at
variance with the Law of Nature,

But the Truth is, He pays Revela-
tion but an aukward Compliment ; and
the mask of pretended Friendftiip is
too thin a diiguife to cover and con-
ceal the Real Foe* He treats Revela-
tion juft as Epicurus did the Gods ; of
whom it Vfzs obferv'd, that, thd in
words he acknowledged a Deity, yet in
reality andeffeSl, he denied his Exijlence*i
and, as that old Philofopher, by exclud-
ing the Providence of the Gods from
the Government of Human Aflfairs, did,
to all the purpofes of Religioii, deftroy
their Exiftence, and confequenjially efti-

* Epicurum verbis reliquiffe T3eQs, re fuftulifTe.
Cic, d£ Ifgt, Deorurn. lib, 2.

(4)
blifh downright Atheifm%- Our Author,
by making Revelation of no life or Ad-
vantage to the World, does as efFeftu-
ally take away its Reality^ and by
neceflary confequence rauft recur to
ebfolute Deifm.

To evince the Juftice of this Charge,
we (hall not at prefent appeal to his par-
ticular Treatment of the Cbrijiian Re-
velation. His Objedtions to the Go/pel
Scheme are but the Sallies and Excur-
lions of an Enemy from his Head Quar-
ters, and intended to illuftrate and ex-
emplify his General Hypothejis; which
being defign'd to ftrike at all pojjible
Revelation, is an Argument, a priori,
againft That particular One oi the Gof-
pel.

For I defire it may be confider'd,
whether to aiTert, that Natural and
Reveal' d Religion cannot poflibly differ
but in the manner of their being communi-
cated, be not greatly to kffen, if not en-
tirely dejlroy, all Ufe and Expediency
of the latter. For is it not diredly to
affirm, that Reveal! d Religion can teach
us nothing, but what Natural Religion
had fufficiently inftrudled us in before;
or, in other words, that it is inconfift-
ent with the Infinite Wifdom and Good-
nefs of God, to make any difcovery of

his

(5)

his Will to mankind, by exprefs Reve-
lation, to which his own unaflifted Rea-
fon cou'd not as well have led him
without it ?

If Natural Reafon alone be, at all
times, z. fufficient Guide in matters of
Religion, I wou'd ask this Gentleman,
zealous as he is for its Honour, What
He has left for Revelation to perform-?
A Man wou'd be thought impertinent,
who (hou'd offer to direct another the
right way, whom he faw provided of a
Jujicient Guide. And is not Revelation^
upon this Gentleman's Scheme, as ufe-
lefs, not to fay impertinent, an Offer?
If it be a jufl maxim in Natural Philo-
fophy, that Nature does nothing in vain,
that all her operations' are conduced by
delign, and for wife ends and purpo-
fes, can we fuppofe the Author of Na-
ture, a Being of Infinite wifdom and
goodnefs, ading, in any of his difpen-
fations to his Creatures, in vain and to
no purpofe? Thus this Gentleman, by
afcribing to Natural Reafon an abfolute
fujiciency in religious matters, does, in
effedt, make Revelation of no life, and,
by neceffary confequence, denies its ve-
ry reality and Exiflence.

This confequence I make no doqbc
he faw, and even defign'd fliou'd fol-
low

(6 )
low from his Hypothcfis, tho' at the ex-
pence of fetting his Profeflions at vari-
ance with his Principles, and being in-
confiftent with himfelf. However, as
he grants, in words at leaft, and as his
Scheme neceflarily fuppofes a Revelation
to have been aSiually given to the World ;
let us try, whether this very Conceffiion
may not be improv'd into a good Ar-
gument, a priori, why Reveal'd Reli-
gion (hou'd, infome refpeSis, differ from
Natural.

I argue thus. If a Revelation b'e
aSlually given to the World, it muft
be given for fome reafon, or for none. If
for fome, I ask, What was That reafon ?
I am fure our Author will agree with
me, that Man, in his Original State
and Condition, ftood in no need of
Revelation. It follows, then, (fmce
God cannot be fuppos'd to give it,
when it was not wanted) that there
muft have happen'd fome change in
the condition of Human Namre. This
Change, then, whatever it was, and
however it came to pafs, was the Ground
and Reafon of the Revelation. And if
fo, is it not feafonable to conclude,
that a Re-veaV d KcVi^ion, the Expediency
of which is built upon a fuppos'd Al-
teration in the State of Human Nature,

fbou'd,

(7)

Ihbu'd, info^e refpeMs, differ from mCcr
JSlatiiiral Religion, which was the Reli-
gion of mankind in its original, primi-
tive, State ? — It is not my bufinefs, at
prefent, to fhew, in ijohat refpedts Re-
veal'd Religion differs from Natural:
It is fufficient for my prefent purpofe
to demonftrate the Reafonablenefs of
concluding, a priori, that it may do fo
in fome refpeds.

I confefs, Our Author's Scheme ia
not quite fo inconfiftent with itfelf, as
to fuppofe any real change to have hap-
pen'd in Human Nature. He even rea-
fons from the contrary Suppofition»
that it has been always the Same ; tho',
in this opinion, he plainly runs coun-
ter to Reafon, Hiftory, and Expe?-
rience. Yet I defire it may be obferv'd,
from the foregoing Chain of Argument,
that the Suppolition of an aSiual Re^
relation being given to the World does,
of itfelf, without the fupports of Hi-
ftory, or Experience, clearly vaStr fime
Change to have really happen'd. What
an additional ftrength, then, muft this
Reafoning receive, when Hiftory and
Experience unite in confirming its
Truth and Juftnefs, and in demonftra-
ting that to have really come to paft,
which Reafon alone, from the confide-

ration

[ 8]

them, for confider how great things he hatb done for you.
And, Secondly, To confider die dangerous Confe-
fcquenccs of not complying with that divine Admo-
nition, namely, that it would be the Ruin of their
private and publick Happiness : But if ye Jhall ftiU
do wickedly^ ye Jhall be confumedy both Ye and your
King.

It is true, the Words were originally fpoken to
the Nation of t\\zye'tos, with a primaryYicvf to their
religious Conduft. But when we confider that all
the fcrtpture of the Prophets luas given by infpira-
tion of God *, and is profitable for Doftrine, for Re-
proof", for Corrcftion, for Inftrudtion in Righteoqf-
nefs to all People called to Religion by the fame Spi-
rit of Gov), that the man of Godmaybe perfeEl^ihrou^
ly furnijhed unto all good works, we muft needs ac-
knowledge they have afecondary View to all Chrijii-
ans, who were called to Religion by the Meffiah of
the Jews, Jesus Christ, the eternal and incarnate
Son of God, through the Eternal Spirit, the Spi-
rit of God the Father and God the Son. And
this will juftify my Application of them to Chriflians
in general, and this Chriftian Audience in particular.

In order therefore to recommend and enforce this
divine Inftruiflion and Admonition in a manner fuit-
able to this Occafion, I beg leave,

First, To explain the Import of the Words, to
point out this good and right Way, by fhewingwhat
is undcrftood by fearing the Lord, and ferving him
in truth, with all the heart.

StcoN-DLY, To enforce the Duties here recom-
mended by the fame Motives mentioned by the Pro-
phet, applied to our felves, namely.

First, From the Recolleftion of the Greatnefs
and Variety of God's Beneficence towards this

* 2 Tim. iij. 16.

Nation^

[ 9l

Nation^ with a particular Refpeft totheBlefllngs of this
Day, to commemorate which, in a moft religious man-
ner, weare nowaflembled.

Secondly, From the Confideration of the dangerous
Confequences of our not complying with thi$div(»e Ad-
monition, namely, that it threatens the Ruin of our
private and publick Happinefs, in the Deftrudion both
,of Us and our Kino.

Lastly, I fhall draw Two or Three fuitable In-,
ferences from the whole.

First; I anj to explain the Import of the "Words, by
Ihewing what is underftood by fearing the Lord, and
ferving him in Truth, with all the Heart.

To fear the Lord, in the Language of Holy Script
ture, generally imports that true inward Senfe of the
Divine Nature and Perfeftions that effeftually prevails
with us to the outward Exercifes of all the Duties of in-
ftituted Religion i which Fear is therefore juftly put, as
it often is in Scripture, to fignify all Religion, it being
the very Life and Principle of it, without which all out-
ward Profefllons and Exercifes of Religion fignify no»
thing. This Fear is a compound Paffion, or Senfe of
the Mind, confifting of a diftindl Perception and Ad-^
miration of God's inherent and communicative Perfefti-
ons, accompanied always with a juft Apprehenfion of his
perfeft Holinefs and Juftice, creating in us a reafonable
Fear and Averfion to the Guilt and Punifliment of Sin.

This Religious Fear is created in us, partly by every
Man's Refleftions, or natural Reafoning, upon the vifi-.
ble Things of this great World, and the greater Mira-
cje, his own Being and Perfe^ions of Body and Mind,
by which is made manifeft the Foundation of Religion,
in a plain Difcovery of thofe invifible Things pf God,
even his eternal Power and Godhead ; and partly by re-
fledting impartially upon the Divine Credit and Import
of the I^oly Scripture, as a fupplemental Revelation
from God to us concerning Religion, wherein we are
uughc the Nature of God and Man, and the Duties

6 ariling

[ lO ]

arifing from them, in a more authentick manner, and
enabled to perform them with more Alacrity, Strength,
and Succefs, through the Motives of the Gofpel, and
the fupernatural Grace exliibited to Believers in the Ufe
of the Chriftian Ordinances. So that it is plain, the ori-
ginal Religion given to Man was not fo perfeifl as that
given to him fince by the written Infpirations of God in
the Scriptures-, and therefore the Religion of Nature, as
it is applied to Man, was not an abfolutely perfeft Religi-
on, as is pretended by our modern Deifts : Becaufe judg-
ing from the Writings and Aftionsof the beft Heathens
before, or without the Scriptures, the beft Samples of
human Nature, it is a Demonftration that Men became
more knowing, more virtuous in themfelves, and more
beneficent to others, and confcquently more perfeft, and
more happy Creatures, fmce their Knowledge of the
Scriptures, than before. So that now the Fear of the
Lord imports fuch a lively and true Senfe of the Di-
vine Nature and Will applied to Man, as may be learnt
by the joint Affiftance of Human Rcafon and Holy
Scripture.

To ferve the Lord in confcquence of this inward
Fear, is the outward Excrclfe of all the Duties under-
ftood to be prefcribed us by Right Reafon, and the po-
fitive Inftitutions of Revealed Religion, out of a Con-
fcience towards God, and a moral Senfe of Obedience
due to all his Commandment?, which muft, in regard to
his immutable and abfolute Perfeftions, whatever vain
Men may think, be Holy, Juft, and Good.

Indeed in this conceited Age, wherein intelleftual
Pride is fo Afluming and Triumphant, we are told
otherwife, that Religion con fifts wholly in theObferva-
tion of meer moral Virtue, and that in the Way that
every Man thinks to be fuch -, and that inftituted Re-
ligion is an Impofition upon Mankind, and every Man
is^ at Liberty to call away the pretended Duties of it
with Refenpment and Derifiqn,

But

But for a f1i6rt Confutation of thefe vain meer Mo*
ralifls, may we ask them what they themfelves mean by
meer moral Virtue, the Diftinftion they are fo fond of?
Do they mean that Order of Thought and Atftion which
arifes from the conftituted Nature of Things, as'confti-
tuted by the infinite Wifdom, Goodnefs, and Holinefs
of God, or what together they call the immutable Righ-
teoufnefs of God ? If they do, is not this immutable
Righteoufnefs of God that fteady and harmo^ious Re*
gard of the divine Will to all the Perfeftions of theDe-
ity, by the Affemblage of which into one unerring, all-"
knowing, and all-gracious, general Perfeftion, he re-
folves and does every thing, and without which he can
do nothing? Is not this therefore that Righteoufnefs, Of
univerfal Reftitude, by which he conftituted' the I^ature
and Relation of Things from which Conftitution all mo-
ral Virtue arifes ? And is not this that Righteoufnefs', Ot
unerring Re<5titude, by which he ihftituted the pofitiv^
Duties of Revealed Religion, as effeftual Helps to the
Perfeflions of moral Virtue, and as Specimens to provp
our moral Obedience by ? If fo, is it not fufficient, in
order to juftify our moral Obedience to thefe pofitive Ih-
ftitutions, that they have all the moral Evidence pofli-
ble for their divine Appointment, and fo lay allpoffible
moral Obligation upon us to obey them, without the
Conceit and Arrogance of afluming to ourfelves a Pow-
er of diftinguifhing which Aftipns are fitteft to be done*
thofe conftituted at the Creation of Man, or thpfe con-
ftituted at his Redemption, which Opens rnore 'Glorie$
a.nd divine Priviledges to Man than his Creation, or*
taking upon us to judge which are better of Gob's De-»
terminations and Attions,' this or that ; efpecially con-
lidering that this Limitation of Duty to meef' mpraj
Virtue, in the Senfe they contend for it, iaps the Fbun*
dationof moral Virtue in general, andprevei^stheEfta-
bliftiment of any ftated Religion in the World in parti*
cular, an^d fo cuts off all the outward Exercife,Qf Reli«
gion'in the World. -^

B a A Si,J?»

[ lo

A SINCERE Moralift therefore upon his own Prin-
ciple, his L«ve, and entire Attachment to moral Vir-
tue, whether he confiders pofitivelnftitutions, as having
the fame moral Foundation, in the Nature of God and
Man, or as Helps ordained by God to teftify and com-
pleat our moral Obedience, he muft obferve them as
perfeftiveof that moral Virtue he adores, and afpires to
be perfeft in : And therefore muft heartily embrace Re-
vealed Religion upon the moral Evidence on which its
divine Authority ftands ; muft firmly believe, meekly
hear, diligently read, and confcientioufly obey the Scrip-
tures ; muft join in the publick Worftiip of God in
fome uniform and fcriptural manner; muft devoutly ufe
God's holy Sacraments, and rely upon the Power and
Truth of God for their fanftifyirg and faving Efficacy •,
muft fanc^ify the Sabbath, to keep it holy •, muft obey
God in the outward Adminiftration of the vifible Church
by fuch Perfons whom God hath fpecially called and ap-
pointed for that Purpofe, obeying them that have the rule
over them,ivho watch for their fouls. All thefe pofitive
Inftiuitions of Religion are to be complied with for mo-
ral Reafons, as appointed by God, and as known by
Experience to enlarge the Bounds, and perfedl the Mea-
fure of moral Virtue. And therefore, in fhort, the true
Import of fearing and ferving the Lord is expreffed,
in our excellent Church- Catechifm, under our Duty to-
wards God, which we learnt whilft we were Children,
which is our Duty now we are Men, and will be fo
whilft we have a Being, viz. To believe in him, to

fEARHIM, AND TO lyOVE HIM WITH ALL OUR HeART,
WITH ALL OUR MiND, WITH ALL OUR SoUL, AND
WITH ALL OUR STRENGTH", TO WORSHIP HIM, TO

GIVE HIM Thanks, to put our whole Trust in
ihm, to call upon him, to honour his holy
Name, and his WoRd, and to serve him truly
ALL THE Days of our Life.

This is the Good and the Right "Way recommended
by the Prophet, by divine Authority, in the Text, couch-
ed

[ 13 ]

cd under the general Inftruftion of fearing the Lord,
and ferving him in Truth, and with all the Heart. I
proceed then,

Secondly, To enforce the Duties here recommended
by the fame Motives mentioned by-the Prophet, appli-
ed to ourfelves.

First, From aRecolledtion of theGreatnefs and Va-
riety of God's Beneficence towards this Nation. For
confider how great things he hath done for you.

To recount all the Inftances of God's publick Fa-
vours to this Land, whereby, under his Providence,
we have been condudted to the Knowledge and PofTefli-
on of Truth and Good, is impoffible at this Time. I
fliall therefore only remind you of fome of the principal
and moft general Bleffings vouchfafed by God to our
Anceftors and ourfelves : Such as in refpeft to Truth,
converting this Nation to the Chriftian Religion very be-
times, and, as is probable, by one of the firft and
greateft of the Chriftian Apoftles, St. Paul, who by a
fpecial Commiffion, fealed by the Miracle of his Con-
verfion, wasTent by the Gentiles (for ye know that ye
were Gentiles, carried away by dumb Idols, even as ye
were led) to turn them from darknefs to light ^ and from the
power of Satan unto God^ that they might receive forgivenefs
of fins, and inheritance among them that are fanSltfied by
faith that is in Chrift. Bleffings of the higheft Import-
ance to Mankind, and which our Anceftors, by their own
early Converfion, had an Opportunity betimes of con-
verting their Pofterlty, and teaching them thofe primi^
tive Doctrines of Chrift which they received from his
own Apoftle, that they might teach their Children the
fame ; thereby fucking Chriftianity from the Fountain-
Head before the Streams were polluted -, in confequence
of which the pure Profeffion of the Chriftian Religion,
under the original Government of Epifcopacy, was
found in the moft Weftern Part of this Ifland, when
St. yfugufline was fent hither to plant Chriftianity among
the Barbarians, who invaded and conquered the 5?-//«?«jj

when

[ H J

when the Ancient Inhabitants, whowere forced to retire
from their cruel Perfecutions into iralcs, there retained
the Chriftian Religion in the primitive Purity, without
anyDependance upon, or Corruptions from the ufurping
Powers and Innovations of the Church of Rome. For
which early InflrucTiion in the Will, and faving Health of
God, our conftant Remembrance and devout Gratitude
Js due, and efpecially our Obligation is the ftronger to fear
and ferie the lord in Truth, andivith all the Heart.

As our Obligation ftill rifes higher from a Senfe of our
being reftoredtothis primitive Profeffion of Chriftianity,
when afterwards Popery had found its way to deceive
and enflave our Anceftors, partly through the Unwari-
nefs and Indolence of Chriftians here, and partly through
the artful and beguiling Infinuations of Jefuitical Decei-
vers, who found Means to reduce them to the fuperftitious
Idolatries and Herefies of the Church of Rome., and there-
by involv'd them almoft in the fame Ignorance, and
more Guilt than belong'd to them in their PaganStditt ;
when they efpoufed Pagan Errors, and pradtifed Pagan
Abominations, as the Church of Rome at prefent does,
under the clear Light and open Profeffion of theGofpel.
From which degenerate State of Chriftianity they were
happily delivered at the P r o t e sT a n t Refor-
mation; which Reformation, confidering the Power
and Influence of the Roman Church here at that
Time, and the ftrong and general Prejudice of
Education in its Favour, and that little Accident that
gave the firfl Occafion to it, on the one Hand, and the
abundant Grace and divine Strength then exhibited in
thepublick Difputes, and perfuafive Writings, and con-
ftant patient Sufferings of our firft pious Reformers, can
only be imputed to an extraordinary Influence of the
purifying Spiritand interpofingHandof God, forwhicK
our Forgetfulnefs would be a Sin of high Guilt, and our
unreformed Lives the greateft Reproach to the Reforma-
tMKj of our Faith, feeing that tho' through the Mercy

of

of God we were reftor'd to the Truth of our Religion,
we are not yet reftor'd to the Power of it.

But more efpecially does our Obligation arife to
ferve and fear the L o r d in Truth, in Confideration
of theBleffingSjin refpecSt to Religion, which we this Day
commemorate in our Deliverance from the worft Pollu-
tions and Perfecution of this Church in the grand Re-
bellion : When fome of our Companions and Partners
in the bleffed Privileges of the Reformation treacheroufly
join'd with a Fanatical Crew of Enthufiafts and Inde-
pendants, in an open and violent AfTault upon this molt
Reformed Church, to the utter Ruin of it ; and at a
Time when it was confefled by foreign Proteftants of all
Denominations, to be the Bulwark of the Proteftant Caufe :
When under the rhoft hypocritical Pretence of a farther
Reformation in it, they feized thepublick Adminiftra-
tion of it, changing fome, and ufurping others of its
original divine Powers ; abolifhing fome, and propha-
ning others of its Scripture Ordinances, polluting its
Divine Worfliip, perfecuting its faithful Minifters with
a malicious Cruelty, and dividing the Portion allotted
them by the Laws of G o d and Man, for a Prey to
themfelves. Thus changing the whole admirable Face
of this Church, fafhion'd in the Beauty of Holinefs, into
an odious Monfter, reprefenting Schifm,Herefy, Enthu-
fiafm, Prophanefs, Rebellion and Sacrilege. Dui-ing
which Time the pure Religion that was undefiled before
God, and Ihone by the glorious Light of the Gofpel,
was almofl: twelve Years under a Fanatical Eclipfe. But
this Day brings to Remembrance, when fhe emerged a-
gain in her Primitive Glory ; when the real Defender of
her Faith was happily reftor'd to his Juft Right, and
his Inclination accompanied with an Ability, and an im-
mediate Endeavour toaflert and reftore all her Rights,
and to defend her againft all her Enemies, foreign and
domeftick, for which our moft joyful and dutiful Ac-
knowledgements and Obedience will be always due to

QOD,

Especially

C 16 1

Especially when we confider this Blefling height-
ened to our Anceftors and ourfelves, in the Deliverance
of our two famous Univerfities on the f^me Day (that
Day of general Goal-delivery of Truth and Juftice) from
the Fetters laid on their Hands and Mouths by the im-
placable Enemies of both ; and which, like thofe on the
Hands of St. Peter, fell off of their own Accord, when
their Natural, Rightful, and long defir'd Sovereign, as
an Angel of God, open'd their Prifon-Doors, and fet
them at Liberty to refume their fuccefsful Searches af-
ter all ufcfi.ll and beneficial Learning, under the qtmoft
Encouragement from the Royal Favour : And particu-
larly to refume and to maintain their ancient Arguments
for Loyalty and Primitive Chriftianity, which, under the
Conduft of God's Providence, were the perfuafive Caufe
of the Reformation', and made thefe two Univerfities
the Common Motl^r which by a joirft Labour gave
Birth to the Reformed Church of England ; and thefe
were the two fweet Breads from which fhe originally fuck-
ed the fincere Milk of God 's Word with which fhe
now feeds her Children.

T H E SE are fome of t\vtgreat 'things in refpeft of Truth
and the right Way, which God hath done for this Nation
in thefe things greatly blefied of the Lord. But left
thefe fhould be thought Bleflings only to the Church,
let us pafs on to confider thofe which the State received
on thisjoyful Day. And in remembring thefe, the Mem-
bers of the Church have an equal Joy and Privilege, as
the State equally partakes in the Deliverances of the
Church : For the Church and State, which are by Law
cftablifli'd, are like undivided Twins which live and die
together ; and therefore they have a perfedt and moft r^-
tural Symp:ithy in the Profperity and Adverfity of one
another. Thjs is that State which gave legal Birth and
Nourifhment to this Church, and defends it by the tem-
poral Sword. And this is that Church which gave fpiritual
Birth and Nouriftiment to the State, and defends it by the
Sword of the Spirit, the Word of God, frpmall fpiritua^

Invaders,

t 17 ]

Invaders, and therefore they ever moufn and rejoice toge-
ther -, when one is alarmed with any approaching Evil,
the other is in Fear, and looks about to ward it oif ; and
when one is crowned, with any kind of publick Succefs,
the other is crowned with Joy : and it is a Truth ac-
knowledged from long and conftant Experience, that the
bell Members of the Church are the beft Subjefts of the
State, and the beft Patriots of the State are the belt
Friends of the Church.

Let us then call a joyful Eye upon the great Deli-
verance of the State from theMiferiesof the Great Re-
bellion ; 3.nd thai our joy may be fall, let us refledlalittfe
upon the Excellency of our Civil Conftitutjon, which
was this Day recovered from Anarchy and Confufion.

And here, if any Civil Government is founded in real
Truth, or poffefTed of real Good, this is fo ; fince none
is conducted more for the Good of the Governors, and
the Governed, and the Glory of God than this, when
the Laws of our Conftitution take their free and natural
Courfe : for here is a wife, and moft defirable Balance
afcertained and fettled by Law between Power and Li-
berty, in a juft Limitation of the Prerogative of th6
Crov/n, and the Priviledges of the People. A Balance
defirable in all Governments, but enjoyed only in ours.
For as Princes are but Men, and Subjedts have natural
Rights flowing from the original Defign of Government,
and as Princes have natural fovereign Rights inherent in
Sovereignty, and Subjedls are liable to Diforder, foboth
fhould be under fome legal Reftraints befides the Re-
ftraints of Confcience and Religioh, for their mutual
Happinefs. Subjects are naturally under the Reftraint
df the Law of their rightflil Sovereign ; byt tho' Princes
cannot be controuled by their Subjefls without invert-
ing the Order of Things, yet gracious Princes may limiC
their own Prerogative for the Improvement of Govern-
ment, and tranfmit it, fo limited, to their Royal Heirj
and SuccelTors as a Blefiing. Arid when a legalfiStipu-

C ladea

[ i8]

lation is made by the Prince to the People for fuch Li-
mitation, the People have a legal Right to it. And by
this means a Balance may be adjufted, and a Mean fec-
tlai between arbitrary Power and Slavery.

But as no meer human Inftitutions can be perfect, fo
there can be no perfect Balance, in this refpeft, fet-
tled by human Counfels, though a Prince Ihould be never
fo well inclined to eftablifh it. And feeing that this Ba-
lance muft in fome meafure be uneven, it feems moft
reafonable that the Sovereign, who is the natural Subjeft
of Power, fhould always have the turning of the Scale v
that an Exceeding of Prerogative fhould be on the Side
of the Prince, rather than Excefs of Liberty on the
Side of the People ; not only that Subjefts might oc-
cafionally exercife the Chriftian Duties of PaJJive Obedi-
ence, according to the Commands and Examples of our
Saviour and his Apoflles, but alfo that Sovereigns
might not exercife Civil Government like Machines, by
hiecejjity } but might have the fame moral Liberty of
Governing nuell as the People have of Obeying "well,
for Confcience fake ; and chat both might be capable of
thofe divine R:-wards ordained by God for good Go-
vernors and good Subjects.

Yet it is our peculiar Happinefs in our Conftitution,
that we have a more gracious and perfeft Balance for
the Limitation of Power and Liberty than any Govern-
ment in the World. For as our Monarchs, to fup-
port the Dignity of their Charafter, have all the defi-
rable Enfigns of Majejly veiled in their Royal Perfons
and Prerogatives, the Regalia, the Guards, the Soldi-
ery, the Difpofition of Honours, and civil Truft, and
the general Execution of the Laws -, fo the People, as a
prudent Counterpojfe, are invefted by Law both with a
concurring and diflenting Authority in our Legiflature,
and with the fole Grant of the Money to give the feve-
ral Royal Prerogatives their due Force, Efficacy and
Luftre. Indeed, by the Laws of God and Nations a juft

Tri-

fclV

t »9 ]

Tribute is due to the Sovereign from every Subjedt for
the Dignity and neceflary Occafions of Government ;
and he will ever find it, and a chearful Giver in every
true Member of our Church, who are diftinguifhed for
their Love of Monarchy and Loyalty. Yet confidering
that both Kings and Queens are fubjeft to moral Cor-
ruption as well as all the reft of Mankind, and fo fub-
jeft to Ambition and Avarice, and when under the In-
fluence of thefe Paffions, are ftrongly tempted to exer-
cife a lawlefs and oppreffive Sway, and indifcreetly to
impoverifli their Subjedls by unnecejfary Taxes -, it may
be deemed one of the moft valuable Priviledges of the
Subjefts, and one of the wifeft Provifions for good Go-
vernment, that our People, in their Parliamentary Ca-
pacity, have not only a defenfive Power in our Legifla-
ture, by which they may ftop any ofFenfive Bill from
proceeding into a Law, but have alfo an uncontefted
Right to deny all unneceflary, and even inexpedient Sup-
plies ; efpecially all fuch as may be hurtful to our excel-
lent Conftitution.

Nor does our moft 'Noble Houfe of Lords add any,
fmall matter to the Beauty and Strength of this political
Balance, by their Power to ftop any Bill tending to
weaken the Prerogative of the Crown, or diminilh the
Rights of the People. This Noble Houfe likewife
ferving to guard off a Democracy, the worft in its felf
of all Civil Governments, as the Obfervance of this Day
will ever teach this Nation, and the moft contrary to
the Genius of the People, by keeping on foot that va:^
luable Prerogative of the Crown, for creating its own
Peers, to obviate any corrupt Harmony between jthc.
Lords and Commons, and to reward occafional|y,i^ofe
moft eminent and faithful Commoners who are moft true
to their King and Country.

Some perhaps may think the legiflative Power of
our Spiritual Lords the Biftiops of no neceflary Ser-
vice in our civil Conftitution, and to be confounding

C 2. Things

Things Spiritual with Things Temporal. But whoever
will confider, that our Clergy are natural Subjefts as
well as the Laitv, andth.it they were fabjeft to many,
and now to almoft all the Laws of the Laity •, whoever
alfo confidersour Conftitution to be of a mix'd Nature,
partly religious and partly civil, the State having fome
juridical Share in the outward Admiiiftration of the
Epifcopal Church; and how fiir any ill, or miftaken,
Ufe of that EccLfiaftical Power by the State, may pofli-
bly affeft the Church in her Spirituals, and obftruft or
difcourage the free Profefllon of trueChriilianity among
us : Whoever likewife confiders all the Laity as Chrifti-
ans as well as Subjefts, whofe religious Intereft fliould
beconfulted as well as their rcmponi] -, and that for this
they are under the common Care of our Bifhops with
the Clergy : And, laftly, whofoever will confider the
prefumptive Capacity at lead of the Bifhops of our
Church (whoufually are behind no Bifhops in theChri-
ftian World for Learning, Piety, and Prudence) to ad-
vife in the State in all Matters of religious Government,
can never think it an impolitick Refpeft to them, to
call them into the Great Councils of the Nation, and to
give them a Share with our Lay Rulers in the Civil Le-
giflature, for the fpiritual Defence and Advantage of
the People. And as this has the Afpeft of being for
the common Good of Laity and Clergy, and tends to
preferve true Religion among us, I hope the Right Re-
verend Fathers of the Church will never, as they were
in the Great Rebellion, be voted ufelefs in the State.

This is our prefent excellent Civil Conftitution, and
calls for the fincere AfFeftion and Zeal of every true£«-
gUJbfiMM, and good Subjeft, for its Prefervation.

ANb as to the Form of our Government taken toge-
ther, it come$ the neareft of any other to that by which
God governs the Univerfe and his Catholick Church ;
w'z. a Trinity of Perfonages in an Unity of Majefty.
For as far as, keeping humble Diftance, things human

may

[ ai I

may be compared with Things divine, and Things fi-
nite with Thirgs infinite, the fhree Eftates of this
Realm moft refemble the Theocracy ; each being
really diftindt from the other, and each ejfential to our
Conftitution, and all centring in a Monarchy li-
mited only by the divine Will, and regulated in its
publick Adminiftration by the divine Perfeftions ;
whilft it profefles to govern us by the Obligations
of the Scriptures and Right Reafon, which jointly con-
fpire in the Law of Universal Righteousness,
that Law which God is to him/elf, and which is
the Rule of his Univerfal Government in the Great King-
dom ofhis Providence. This being the true Nature of
our Conftitution, other Nations may well be provoked
to envy us, as they do, and to fay in their Hearts at
leaft, 'This is a great nation ; this is a wife and under fland-
ing people. Bleffed are the people that are in fuch a cafe ;
yea, indeed, bleffed are we who in this manner have the
Lord for our God! which fhould provoke us, in thofe
pathetick Words of King David, fpoken of the pecu-
liar City of God, to fay one to another, in refpedt of
this our Jerufakm, O pray for the peace of JerufaJemy
they fhall profper that love thee ; peace be within thy walls,
md plenteoujntfs within thy palaces, for my brethren and
companions fake I will wifh thee now profperity ; yea^ be-
caufe of thehoufe of the Lord our God, / willfeek to do
thee good; and moft of all Ihould provoke us to fear the
Lord, and to ferve him with all our heart, confidering
how great things he hath done for us, in bleffing us with
fuch a Conftitution, in reftoring it again \to us, when it
was utterly loft, and in preferving it to this day.

And this we fhall think ourfelves much more obliged,
and be more heartily inclined to do, when we have re-
fieded a little upon the miferable State af our Anteftors
at the Great Rebellion.

It

[ 2.2 ]

It will not, I own, become the joyous Afpedb of
this blefled Day to draw too great a Gloom upon it, by
a full Confideration of the manifold and piercing
Troubles this Nation then fuffered. I fhall therefore
draw only fuch a Shade from them, as may render the
Senfeof our Deliverance more pleafing, without making
it frightful : and yet in regard to the Prophet's fecond
Motive for fearing the Lord, and fervinghim, it ought
to be made fo frightful as to deter us from Jiill doing
ivickedly, left ur be confumed, both we and our king.

It is juftJy acknowledged by a folemn national peni-
tential ConfeiTion yearly, that the Sins of the Nation
drew down that heavy Judgment upon it. And, in-
deed, whoever confiders thofe Times as handed down to
us in Hiftory, will find that a general Spirit of Irreli-
gion then prevailed, which by degrees brought on that ge-
neral Spirit of Rebellion which involved the whole Nation
in Mifery : For when the firft Seeds of it were fcattered
about by the Republican Faftion, and appeared tofpring
into unreafonable Clamours and Difcontentment againft
the mildeft and moft religious King then in the World,
they foon grew up into armed Men, and united into a
formidable Army, which was not afraid to difobey the
King and his Laws, nor to infult him, nor to fpit in
his Face, nor to ftrip him of all his Kingly Power, nor
to take away his Life in the open Street, and before his
Palace-Gate. And having killed the King, they took
PoffefTion, and with great Precipitation thus voted the
Conftitution down.

By voting Monarchy unnecelTary, burdenfome, and
dangerous, then voting the Houfe of Lords ufelefs, and
dangerous •, after they had firft voted the Bifhops out of
It, and incapable of being in the CommifTion of Peace ;
then turning their own Voters out of the Houfe of Com-
mons by Violence for difobeying the Inclination and Or-:
ders of the Army. And as to our Church, they voted
down the Pillars upon which it ftood and flourilhed,
i. e. Epifcopacy, our Common- Prayer, the Creed, the

Lord's

[ 23 ]
Lord's Prayer and the Ten Commandments, In this
Irreligious Condition, what could be expefted, but that
Anarchy, and Confufion, and Oppreffion which follow'd 1
for now their chief Leaders did not know what, to do;
fometimes they thought beft to govern the People by
that landtified Remnant of the difperfed Parliament,
fometimes by a more fanftified Council of Scate, and
fometimes by the Saint General and his OfEcers, whofe
Banners were filled with Scripture. And thefe, inter-
changeably ruled as the Spirit of Ufurpation prevailed
in them. But which Side foever feemed uppermoft, it
was plain enough that the Army ruled all. And what
muft be the Eifedls of a military Government every
body may guefs, and it will be hard to guefs worfe than
it then happened.

For now who knew what Laws were in Force? and
who dared to plead thofe that were ? Private Subjedls
knew not to which to have recourfe to redrefs their pri-
vate Complaints againft each other. .For every body's
Poffeffions were now grown precarious, and fubjedt to
Rapine by the Hands of one another. No Man's Houfe
was any longer his Caftle, nor fafe Retreat ; no Man's
Shop was his own Store-houfe, but Houfe and Shop
fubjeft to be entered and fearched by the Commiffion
of irrefiftible Power, as if all were Excife-men, favino-
in this Comparifon for theLegahty of thefe Cm/ OfBcers
Proceedings. The Enemies of many were thofe of their
own Houfe ; for Kelations met fometimes to encounter,
feize, and deftroy, each other -, znd Friends, who in the
general Hurry were cafually enlifted into Armies of op-
pofite Command, were either obliged to Idll one the
other, or by the inexorable martial Law to die for their
friendly Difobedience. In this lamentable Cafe the Na-
tion was involved, and feemed literally to fuffer the
Judgments threatened by God upon the finful Je-ws,
defcribed by the Prophet in thefe Words ; 'the daughter
of Zien bewailed herfelf^ andfpread out her hands^ fopngt

woe

[ *4]

ivoe is me hecaufe ofihe murderers ! How long JJialll fee the
ftandard^ and hear the found of the trumpet ! O go not
forth into the field, nor walk by the way, for the fword of
the enemy and fear is on every fide .' Then deJlruSlitn upon
deftruSfion was cried j then did God deliver the firength of
this city, and the labours thereof, and all the precious things
thereof, and all the treafures of the kings of fudah, into
the hand of our enemies. Then did this Church partake
in the Fate of ^^ State -^ for then did God for fake his
houfe, and left his heritage, and gave the dearly beloved of
his foul into the hands of its enemies. Then did God vex
us in his fore difpleajure ; then did he confume both us and
our king.

To be delivered in this Extremity of Diftrefs was a
Bleffing beyond the reach of Hope. To be delivered
neverthelefs in fo compleat, in fo fudden, and in fo
peaceable a manner, when things changed as if they had
never been difplaced, and fell again of their own Accord
from the greateft Confufton into their old Order, was
moft furprizing! This moft certainly was the Lord's dO'
ing, and it was fo marvellous in the eyes of our Anceftors,
that they were like unto them that dream ; and when they
could recover themfelves, then was their mouth filled with
laughter, and their tongue with joy : And every body's
Song then was, The Lord hath done great things fur us,
yea, the Lord hath done great things for us already,
whereof we rejoice. And we their Pofterity who par-
take fijlly in the ^lefllng, have Reafon to fay, in re-
fpecEl of this Thankfgiving, upon that OcCaQon, This
is the day which the Lord hath made, we will rejoice
and be glad in it. Which brings me.

Lastly, To draw two or three Inferences, and fo
conclude.

First, We may here infer the Holiness, Justice,
and Mercy of Providence. His Holinefs in appoint-
ing the Religious Conduft of a Nation, the Condition
of his Favour towards if, his Juftice in inflifting Pir-

nilhment

[ ^n

nifhment upon it according to its Wickednefs,and his
Mercy in fparing it for its Repentance. This has been
his Condudl from the Beginning, and appears firft in
a more vifible and fpecial manner in the Cafe of his
own People, whilft they were under the inlmediate
Adminiftration of a Theoracy •, whofe Covenant with
them was. If ye will obey my voice, and hearken unto my
commandments to do them, I will he your God, and ye
Jhall be my people, and I will love you and blefs you. But
cur fed is every Man, i. e. the whole Nation in its fociate
Capacity, that obeyeth not the words of this covenant.
And to encourage their Repentance when their Wick-'
ednefs had laid them under the Chaftifement of the
Lord, he fays. If my people which are called by my
namefhall humble themfelves^ and pray, andfeekmy face^
andturnfromall their wicked ways, then I will hear from
heaven, and will forgive their fm^ and will heal their
nation: And as it was promifed and threatned fo it came
to pafs, for when they were exemplary in their Obe-
dience to God, they were made to overcome their
enemies, to pojfefs hotifes full of good things, and they did
eat and were filled, and delighted themfelves in the divine
goodnefs. But when they generally revolted, Got) gave
them over to their enemies ; and curfing^ vexation, and
rebuke.^ in all that they put their hand to^ fell upon them.
Neverthelefs^ in the time of their penitential trouble^ when
they cried he heard them, and according to his manifold
mercies he gave them a Saviour who faved them from
the hands of their enemies. And this has been the
Cortftant Conduct of Providence towards all Nations j
for asther/^^?5o«iLoRD loveth righteoufnefs, fo inevefy
nation he that worketh righteoufnefs is accepted with hirn.,
and as the general kingdom is the Lord's, and he is the
goniernour among the nations, fo \i^ judges the folk
right eoufly, and governs the nations upon earth. And
as Nations and all particular incorporate^ Societies of

D Mea

[ i6^
Men end with this World, fo they Can be, and are On-
ly rewarded andpuniflied as fuch in this World. And
if God any lime feems to fufpendhis Judgment from
a finful Nation, it is either that the riches of his goodnefi
in his forbearance and longfuffering may bring them to
repentance., or that they are not yet ripe for a general
Judgment •, or elfe the good People which are a-
mongft them, who muft needs be involved in a gene-
ral Calamity, are the Caufe of a farther fufpenfion, God
fometimes being willing to fpare a City if there be
fifty righteous, nay, peradventure there be ten found
in it.

Hence, Secondly, may be inferr'd, that it equal-
ly concerns all Nations /o/^ar /i&^LoRD, andfervehim
in truth with all the heart. For all Nations are not
only alike fubjeft to him, but equally dependant up-
on him, for the Grant, Prefervation, and Continuance of
their national Privileges, and fo equally obliged to
obey the Laws he hath fet before them ; for tho' the
fame numerical Laws, no not of moral Righteoufnefs,
are not fet before all Nations, he giving fome greater^
and fome lejfer Knowledge of thefe Laws, according
to his good Pleafure, from whence arifes the different
Obligations of Mankind, yet he expeftethfrom each
Nation according to the publick Talent deliver'd to
each, and the Means and Opportunity they have to
improve it.

Hence, "thirdly, we plainly may infer the great-
ftefsof our own publick Obligation to fear the Lord,
and to ferve him in truth, feeing that it may juftly be
expoftulated with us. For what nation hath flatutes
and judgments fo righteous as all thofe I have laid
before you this day ? And feeing we have fuch Helps
and Motives to Obedience from tht Rewards zniGraee
given us as Chriftians, and feeing ourfelves in the midft
of fuch an abundance Of Bleflings fpiritual and ttmpO'

rait

[ ^7 ]
raJ, and guarded and preferved by fo many eminent
Inftancesof God's w«/f^/«/ and y^ww^ Providence ; fo
that we fhall be the moft ungrateful and finful Peo-
ple upon Earth, if by our joint Endeavours in theWays
of the Chriftian Life we do not caufe our natioml
Righteoufnefs, Piety, and good Works, to bear a Pro-
portion to the great things he hath done for us.

Hence in particular the Sovereigns of this bleffed
Nation may fee the Prudence, the Felicity, and the
Honour of governing themfelves and their People by
Religion ; how it reflefts double Luftre upon Ma-
jefty, when they reprefent the divine Holinefs as well
as the divine Power, and follow thofe Refolutions of
holy King David in their Royal CondudV, /to/7/ not
know a wicked per/on } whofo lectdeth a godly life, he
Jhall he myfervant, and he that telleth lies Jhall not
tarry in my fight, becaufe every wife kingfcattcreth the
wicked, and bringeth the wheel over them. How this
would enable them in the bell manner to fecure and
enjoy their Dominions ; for > the throne is ejlablijhed
by righteoufnefs : How it would even extend their Do-
minion, and fortify their Guard, by fetting up a
throne in the Heart of each Subjedt, to which each
would pay a chearful Duty. For nothing is fo endea-
ring to the good Part of the Subjed:s as univerfal
Goodnefs in their Sovereign ; and nothing is fofoft-
ning to bad ones ; for the Goodnefs of a King, like that
of God, whom he immediately reprefents, leadeth to
repentance. Hence they may alfo learn the high Ag-
gravations of Guilt, and the fpecial yibomination
it is for Kings to do, or to connive at wickednefs.
Confidering, that God is a king among princes,
that he can refrain thefpirit of princes ; that he lead-
eth princes away fpoiled ; that he is a King over all the
Children of Pride ; that he ehangeth the times, and
removetb and. fetteth up kings. That no king can be fa-
D 2 t^ei

[ i8 ]

veJ by the multitude of an hoft ; that •wifdom is better
than ftrength -, that the -jn.iy of the Lord is ftrength ;
that he poureth contempt upon (bad) princes^ and that
he hath inftruifled his Prophet to admonifh all fuch
in thefe Words, Say unto the king, and to thequeen^
humble your fehes, fit down, for your principalities fhall
come dc'iva, eirn the crown in which ye glory ; * for they
haz'c not ferved thee in their kingdom, and in thy great
goodncfs which thou gavejl them, and in the large at^d
fat land which thou gavef before them "f .

He\ce our noble and honourable Senators may-
learn the true Political TVifdom, by pointing all their
Views, Counfels, and Afbs, to die Advancement of
God's Glory, the Good of his Church, the Safety,
Honour, and Welfare of the Sovereign and his King-
doms ; and whenever they fhall perceive a Confedera-
cy of ill Men forming themfelves againft the Lord
and his Anointed, and z\\c People oit\\t Lord, and
forgetrirg their publick Duty, and endeavouring on-
ly in the ways of corruption to enrich themfelves, and
ftrengthen themfel-ves in their ivickednefs ; how much it
■will then concern thofe that zxt faithful in //^J^LoRp
zealoufly to o/i/)o/e them ? And if ever iniquity fhould fo
far abound, that they neither by legal Numbers, nor
faithful Counfels, fhall be a.h\c to over- rule a.nd prevent
their evil Meafures, then with Hearts full of the fear
of the L.ORD, and of Loyalty and publick Spirit, let them
feparate themfelves from fuch Enemies to God and
Men, and each fay to his Soul, O my foul^ come not
thou tnto their fecret^ unto their ajfemblies, mine honour,
be not thou united ; and let them even diflinguifli them-
felves by the jufl Regard to their Soul^ and to their
Honour, as never to betray the Caufe of God and
Virtue for the finful Reward of a Bribe, nor to admit,

*Jereni. xili. it, \ Nehem.JT. 35.

as

[ ^9 3

as a Fetter upon their Integrity the mean Temptation
o{ i. Stipend. And let fuch /?//^/«/ Patriots, if
'even they fliould fufFer the Lofs of any Worldly Ho-
nour or Profit, by means of their Fidelity, be folaced
with the Confolation of their partaking in the high Re-
putation of Mofes, that eminent Servant and Prophet
of God, in chufing rather to fuffer affliSlion -with the
feople of God, than to enjoy, in Pharaoh's Court, the
fleajures of fin for a feafon.

Hence our holy Fathers of the Church, ourBifhops,
may fee the ftrifteft Obligation upon them, when they
fit in the Congregation of Princes, to give no Counfel
but what is from the Lord ; to abide conftantly by
that excellent Rule of the Prophet Balaam, the word
that God putteth in my mouth, that will Ifpeak ; efpe-
cially to imitate him in that glorious yi//'-^f»j;/»^ Refo-
lution. If Balak (the King) would give me his houfe
full offilver and gold I cannot go beyond the word of
the'L,o'B.TimyGo\),todolefsormore ; confidering what
a Debafement it would be to their fupreme Order in the
Church to proftitute their fpiritual Thrones to do any
of the mean Drudgery and finful Services of temporal
ones.

Hence our Judges in all Ages may learn to arrive
at the moft amiable Charafter of the upright Job, by
putting on, after his Example, righteoufnefs as their
clothing, ^.nd judgment as a Robe and Diadem ; the
Confequence «5f which was to Job, when the ear heard
him, it blejfed him. And confidering that thefe aw-
ful Magiftrates fit to declare the Judgment of God,
it would be the worft Abufe of their 'frujl, and the
greateft Forfeiture of their Honour, for them ever to
receive either the Matter of their Charge, or theMea-
fores of their Juftice, from the depraved Inclination
andDiftates of any corrupt and irreligious Court, or of
any howfoever great Benefaftor.

Hence

C 30 ]

Hen"ce our Clergy of the inferior Clals, towhofc
daily Labours and religious Care the Souls of the Peo-
ple of this Land are immediately committed, may
learn at all times to difcharge their divine Truft with
the utmoft Fidelity, and never to handle the Word
of God deceitfully, but ax of ftncerity, but as of God,
in the Jigbi of God *, conftantly to fpeak the Truth,
boldly to rebuke Vice, and though never deli-
rous, yet always refign'd, meekly to fufFer for the
Truth fake, and maugre all Difcouragements of this
"World, and in Denial of all Worldly Temptations
and Allurements, fo to take heed to themjelves, and to
their doStrines, that they may fav( their own fouls ^ and
theirs that hear them.

Hence our Magiftrates of the inferior Order may
learn with Zeal., though not with Power, equal to our
fuperior Judges, truly and indifferently to minifter
Juftice, to the Punifhment of Wickednefs and Vice,
and to the Maintenance of God's true Religion a-
mong us.

Hence our military Commanders and Officers, of
whatever Denomination, may learn to keep them-
felves, and thofe under their refpeftive Commands,
in Obedience to the Civil Power and the Laws of
God. And as they are commendably diftinguiflied
for their Honour, may never forfeit that Honour by
receiving Pay, nor by ufing Force againft their King^
nor againfl their Country.

Hence our Merchants, many of whom, like thofe
oi Tyre, may be compared, without Offence, to fome
Princes for the Splendor of their Condition, for the
Greatnefs of their Fortunes, and for the Civility of
their Manners, may always learn, by a fair Com-
merce, to render to all their due, to fay tribute where

* 1 Cor. i). 17.

trihuti

[ 3t ]
tribute' is due, cuflom to whom cuftom, fear tp "whoni
fear, honour to whom honour.

Hence this molt renowned City, to which the
Charafter of "tyre, in refpeft of Commerce, literally
belongs, whofe traffickers are the honourable of the
earth, and the harveft of the river is her revenue ^ and
P^e is a mart of nations, may learn by the religious
Privileges which flie enjoys above 'Tyre, or any City
in the World, to be as renowned for her Piety, and
Virtue, and good Works, as Ihe is for her Riches and
Splendor.

Hence all the private Subjefts of this Nation,
'who move in no Sphere of publick Power, may learn
to fludy to he quiet, and to do their own huftnefs, to lead
quiet and peaceable lives, in all godlinefs and honefiy, to
fear God, and to do his prophets no harm, to reverence
his priefts {whofe mouths preferve knowledge) and give
them their portion ', and, in a Word, to honour, adorn,
and defend this happy Conftitution in Church and
State, to fear God and the King, and not meddle
with them that are given to change.

Then may we all, from the King on his Throne to
the Poor on the Dunghill, puj our Truft in the Lord
our God, and in the Mercy of the moil High, we
fhall none of us mifcarry.

To conclude ; Having every one of us fully con-
lidered how Great Things God hathdone forus,
let us fear the Lord, and ferve him in truth with all-
our heart ; let us rejoice together with an innocent
■ and pious Mirth for the Bleffings of the Day -, and
let us ALL ftand up and blefs the Lord our God for
ever and ever ; and bleffed he his glorious name, which is
txaltedfar above hlejjing andpratfe. Amen.

FINIS.

Lately publilhed,

TH E Sacred Authority of Chriftian Biftiops, and
the Piety of Praying for them in Prifon. A
Sermon preached at Rochefier Cathedral, on Occafion
of the Imprifonment of Dr, Attehbury, late Bi-
Ihop of Rochefier.
, A Sermon preached at Hertford-School Feaft.

A Sermon preached ac the opening of Dartford'
Work-houfe.

Thefe three by CbarUs Chambres^ M. A, Vicar j
of Dartford, Kent. '

Printed for tbo. Aftley, at the Rofe, over againft
the North-Doorof St. Paul's.

CHRISTIANIT7]

Diftinft from the

Religion of Nature,

In Answer
To a late Book, Entitled,

Chriftianity as Old as the Crea-
tion^ &c.

Part. I.

Being an Examination of the Author's General Hy-
fothefts, that Natural and Reveal' d Religion differ
only in the manner of their being communicated.

By Thomas Broughton, A. M.
Reader at the Temple-Church.

LONDON:

Printed for Weaver Bickerton at Lord
Bacon's Head, the Corner of Paljgrave-Head-
Courty without Temple-Bar, 1732.

(')

PREFACE.

[HE Ingenious^ Author, nvhofe
elaborate Performance I have
undertaken to examine^ pre-
tends to have difcover'd the
true a?id - only Secret of Re-
conciling Natural and Reveal'd Religion :
A Secret truly Such hitherto; and for
"which the Chrijiian World is folely indebt-^
td to the happy. Genius and Penetration of
this Author. Indeed, when we conjider
how natural and eafy an Hypothefis this
Gentleman has luckily hit upon, it may
feem a little Strange, that itjhou'dfo long
have efcafd the fagacity and diligence of
the learnedeji Chrijiian Writers. But the
Glory of it was due by Fate to the Pre-
fent Age, and the particular Honour of
the Di/covery refervd.for the Ingenious
Author of Chriftianity as Old as the
Creation, ^c.

A 2

Had

Had the Learned Apologifts for tie
Chriftian Religion been acquainted ivith
this modern Hypothefis,. ivbttt nfLinfinit?
deal of Trouble neou'd it havefav'd them?
How fuperfuous now appear all their
Labours; how unneceffary the Pains they
took in vindicating the particular Docirines
and Precepts of this Religim, by f jewing
their conformity and agreement ivith the
unprejudic'd Didiates of Right Reafon?
Had they dreamt af our Autkf's Stheffle,
they might have thrown by their Peni,
and only replfd to their Adversaries, that
Chriftianity was but Another Name for
the Religion of Nature, and 'the hufnefs
bad been done; nor need they have Spent
their time, and their oil, in proving the
Sun to be as bright as the Sun, or Snow
as white as Snow. But they were fooh
ipiy taught to think there was fsmethif^
more in the Religion of Jefus> than in
That ef Meer Nature.

Notwithjianding the many excellent
Apologies /or the Reafonablenefs o/'Chri-
ftianity, I'his Gentleman is confident, thai
the receivd Notions concerning it tend t»
dejlroy that Harmony, which ought ta
fubfjl between It, and the Religion of
Nature ; and therefore, prompted by Zeal
for the Honour of Religion, an4 grievd,
that two fuch good Friends Jhou'd differ,.

bf

( iii )
he kindly interpofes for their mutual Re-
conciliation, But

— Aliquis latet Error, Equo ne credite
Teucri,

Tthere have been many Attempts of late
to defiroy the Credit of the Cliriftian Re-
velation. To effeSi this, the Authors have
generally levelled their Arguments againfl
the Evidence of it : A Method of Attack,
which requires the Infidel to be a Man of
great Reading, and well versd in Anti-
quity. If the Attack be made on the
Prophecies of the Old Teftament, faid
to be accomplify d in the perfon of Chrift ;
the Author muft be equtpp'd with- a large
fhare of Hiftorical and Critical Learn-
ing. 3o overthrow the Credit of our Sa-
viour s Miracles, he mufi mifapply the Al-
legorical Interpretations of the Fathers ;
and confequently muft have read 'em. Our
Author's Oppofition is carry d on at a much
eajier rate, and at little or no expence
of Learning. It cuts the Controverfy
between the Patrons of Chriftianity and
Deifin extreamly fhort. 'To what pur-
pofe fhou'd you difpute whether the Chri-
ftian Religion be a true Religion, if it be
an Ufelefs one t Admit but its Infignifi-
cancy j and any controverfy about the Au-
thority

( iv )

thority of the Evangelical Writings is of
lefi importance^ if pojjible, than the fa-
mous one between a great Critick, and a
great Wit, about the Genuinenefs of Pha-
laris'j Epiftles.

If this Author's Scheme be jujlly found-
ed, what becomes of the boajled Advan-
tages of Chriftianiiy above the Religion
of Nature ? In "nain may Jhe plead, that
Jhe has inflruSfed us in the True Wor-
fliip of the Supream Being, from which
Mankind (even the Politeft Nations) had
iiniverfally departed : that Jhe has brought
Life and Immortality to Light, by gi-
ving us a full ajfurance of a Future
State, concerning ivhich the Learnedefl
Heathens confefs'd their doubts : that jhe
has ajfurd the Sinner of (what he cou'd
never be certain of from the Light of
Nature) not only Pardon and Impunity,
but even of Favour and Eternal Happi-
nefs, upon the eafy terms of Repen-
tance : that Jhe has given the World a
compleat and uniform Syftem of Mo-
rality, which, till then, lay fcatter'd in
the endlej's Writings of a croud of Phi-
lofophers ; attended with Difficulties,
Uncertainties, and even Contradidlions :
and, lajlly, that Jhe has encouragd and
promoted the praSlice oj" virtue and good-

nej's

(V)

nefs by ftronger, ObligationSi," ly nobler,
and better Motives, and by fuch Duties
of a Pofitive Nature^ as evidently tend
more effeSiually to fecure the Interejis of
True Religion in the world. All theje,
and many other, Advantages fhe may
now boajl in vain. If this Author's
Scheme takes place, Jhe muji be con-
tented for the future to Jland upon the
footing of meer Natural Religion, if
not to give way to it, as the better and
more FerfeSl Syjlem .of the 'Two.

When we confider how eafy and com-
pendious an Hypothefis That of our
Author's is, one wou'd think it might
lye in the compafs of a few Sheets, and
he compriz'd, at moji, in a Shilling Pam-
phlet : injiead of which, out comes a
thick Quarto, dofely printed, in a fmall
Letter. He makes his Attack, not like
a light-arm'd Parthian, with a Sling
only, or a Bow -, but Goliah-like ; as tf
he thought by the weight and bulk of
his armour to bear down Chrijlianity, in
fpite of the Strongeji Oppoftion. And
yet, arnid as this Champion is at prC'
fent, he is but half equipp'd ; ^/or we
are threatned "with Volume the Second ;
Which, from the practice of all Authors,
Antient and Modern, I prefume will not
lie inferior, in bulk and fze, to this he

hai

(vi)

has already favour' d the world with-
jixtd yet I "will venture to affure the
"Reader, that the Subjiance of this for-
midable 'Work might be drawn up even
in a lefs compafs^ than •what I have
mentioned.

If any one, who has not read our Au'
thor's performance, is curious to know by
what arts he has fwell'd fo brief an
Hypothefis to fo large a Jize; He has
done it, frji, by exprefjit^ the fame Pro-
pofition in a great variety of Language;
for, to do him juftice, he is a dextrous
mafter of the noble Science of Tauto-
logy: next, by many and long Quota-
tions from our mojl eminent Englifti Di-
vines, and others; whofe fentiments con^
cerning the Excellency and PerfeSlion of
Natural Religion he has endeavour d to
accommodate to his own Syjlem ; Jo that
were you only to turn over the Leaves,
and obferve the great Names cited in
the Margin, you wotid tfnagine, that
Tillotfon, Locke, Barrow, Stanhope,
Sherlock, &c. were all oj the fame Sen-
timents with the Ingenious, Dr. T — 1:
in the next place, by a long detail of the
fad confequence!, and extream mifchiefs,
^Bigotry, Prieftcraft, <7W Superftition ;
in which, it mujl be confefsd, he has
laid out a great deal of Rhetorick, an4-

Reading :

(vii)

Reading : and lajily by numberlefs mifap-
plications fl«i mifinterpretations of Scrip-*
ture.

But there is one Beauty in his inan"
ner of treating the fubjed}, which I can-"-
not help taking notice of and that is The
Dialogue. " T^his (he tells us in his.
" Preface) was by the Antients ejieem'd
" the moji proper, as well as prudent^
" Way of expofing prenjailing Abfurdi-
" ties; and Tully's two Books De Na-
" tura Deorum, and De Divinationey
" both levell'd againji the Juperjiition of
" his country-men, are living monuments-
" of the ufefulnefs and expediency of this
" manner of writing." I entirely agree
with him in his approbation of this man-
ner of writing. But homo has he copied
thefe excellent Originals ? In Cicero's
Pieces the Perfons of the Dialogue are
all allow d fair Play. Whatever can be
pleaded on either fide of the ^ueflioh is
fairly produced. Tully's own Sentiments
are generally dijj'embled, whiljl he holds
the Balance with an impartial hand be-
tween the Stoick, the Academick; -and'
the Epicurean. But How different is our
Authors CouduSi? The Perfons of his
Dialogue are A. and B. — A. is the lit-
tie-Hero of the Argument-, and poor B.
is only introduced, to give the doughty
Difputant an Opportunity of exulting in
a th$

( vui )

the fuperiorify of bis under/landing. What-
ever he fays is very little to the furpofe :
he even fancies Difficulties, where there
are none. T'hus the One fubmits before
he is confuted, and the Other triumphs
without a vidlory. This Artifice of our
Author's puts me in mind of the awk-
ward Excufe, 'which Bayes, in the Re-
hearfal, makes for the filUnefs and im-
pertinence of one of his Charadters ,
•which was, that he undcrwrit that part
on purpofe to fet off the reft.

1 might obferve, likewife, an Impro-
priety (not to fay a contradifliion) in
the very Title of his Book. For if
the Gofpel be hut a Republication of
the Law of Nature, how can Chri-
ftianity be as old as the Creation ;
unlefs the Republication of a Law can
be as old as the Law itfelf ? Suppofe the
Subftance of a Law, made in the Reign
of Harry the eighth, be re-enaded in
Uhat of George the Second, wou'd it be
proper, or even true, to fay, that the
latter ASl of Parliament bears the fame
date with the former, becaufe the Sub-
ftance of them both is the fame? — Is
the late Dr. Clarke's ne\V Edition of
Homer as old as the Poem itfelf? /
defign not to quarel with him for a meer
Inaccuracy, or Impropriety of Exprefjiony
fince his meaning is plain enough. My rea-

fon

(Ix)

fmfor this Remark is, hecaufe be has evi-
dently borrffiioed the Title of his Book
from the prefent Bifhop of Bangor's Ser-
mon before the Societies for the Propa-
gation of the Gofpel. (vid. Chriji. as
old, &c. p. 79.J But, furefyy it is one
thing to fay, with his Lordjhip, that The
Gofpel (or Chriftianity) is Declara-
tive o/'That Religion, which
was as old as the Creation ; and another,
to fay, with our Author, that Chriftianity,
Itself is as old as the Creation.

Before I finijh my Preface, it may be
proper to acquaint the Reader with the
Method I intend to purfue, in anfwering
the Author of Chriftianity as old as the
Creation, .Gfc. thd the ObjeSlions, which
he has ftarted againfi the Chriftian Reve-
lation, be what he had Principally in
view, as the true End and Defgn of his
Scheme; yet, tofetout with an immediate
Reply to thofe Objedlions is, lapprehendy
to begin at the wrong end of the Contro-
verfy ; fince, if he can but ejlablijh his Ge-
neral Hypothefis, that Natural and Re-
veal'd Religion differ only in the manner
of their being communicated, Chrijiiani-
ty mujifall ofcourfe, as will appear, when
we come to confder the necejfary confequen-
ces of it. It is, therefore, the Bufne/s of
this firft Part, with which I now prefent
a 2 ■ the

(X)

the Reader, to cut off this Retreat, this
Dernier Refort, and to dejlroy the very
Foundation, upon which All his Arguments
againfl the "Expediency and Ufe of Divine
Revelation are founded : and that, by
Jiating the true Notion of the Perfedlion
of Natural Religion (the grand fupport of
our Author s Hypothefis) in fuch a man-
ner, as to avoid the two Extr earns of Af-
ferting, with Him, Natural Religion to
^^ Abfolutely Perfedt; with oihcxs, to be
Abfolutely Imperfedt ; and to leave Room
for God Almighty to give his Creatures
Occafional Laws, as their Wants and Exi-
gencies may require. 'The Reader will like-
wife here fee the true foundation, upon
which alone the Expediency o/'Revelation
can be built.

In my next Part I propofe to confder
the other Branch of this Author's Scheme ;
which is, that No Pofitive Precepts can
be a Park either of Natural or Reveal'd
Religion : A Point, which, in his opini-
on, can alone decide the ^ejiion. Whe-
ther Natural and Reveal'd Religion do
really differ.

JVhen this is done, it will be, then,
proper to anfwer this Author's mojl mate-
rial Objeftions to the Credit and Authori-
ty of Revelation in general, a7id The
Chrjftian in particular.

THAT

( o

^HAT It is the real Defign.
of the Author of Chrijii-
anity as old' as the Creation^.
&G. to fet afide the Gofpel
Revelation, not only as ufe-
kfs, but even prejudicial, to mankind,
is very plain, notwithftanding his re-
peated profeffions to the contrary, from
the very different Lights, in which he
has feverally plac'd Natural and Re-
veatd Religion. The former he every
where defcribes as abfolutely Jufficienf,
alike at all times, for all; the purpofes
of Human Happinefs, and, among
others, beftows on it this glorious En-
comium, that " If the higheft inter-
" nal Excellence, the greateft Plainneis
" and Simplicity, Unanimity, Univerfa-
" lity, and Antiquity, nay Eternity, can
" recommend, a Lawj all thefe do, in
B " an

(2 )

« an eminent degree, belong to the
" Law of Nature ; a Law, which does
" not depend on the uncertain meaning
" of Words and Phrafes in dead Lan-
" guages, much lefs on Types, Meta-
" phors. Allegories, and Parables; or
" on the skill, or honefty, of weak, or
" defigning, Tranfcribers (not to men-
" tion Tranflators) but on the immuta-
" ble Relations of Things, always vi-
« fible to the whole World: " {p. 64.)
whereas Rfvehfion, befides that it is
encumber'd with all the abovcmention'd
Difficulties and Uncertainties, from
which the Laiv of Nature is free, is re-
rr^fented, as frequently contradicting the
Nature and Reaibn of Things ; as be-
kig of doubtful and uncertain Evidence j
as Partial and Ineffeftual to the Purpo-
fes, for which it was given ; and as ha-
ving been adlually the Caufe of Infinite
Inconveniencies and mifchicfs to man-
kind.

It is true, our Author does not open-
ly avow this hq/iik defign againft the
Ghriftian Revelation: on the Contrary,
His is the moft Healing Schcmp imagi-
nable; is calculated " greiately to ad^
" vance the Honour of External Reve-
?' ktion, by fhewing the pex£e&. Agree-
V ment between That and Internal Re-

" velation >

( 3 )
** velation ; and, by fo doing, deftroys
" one of the moft fuccefsful Attempts,
" that has been made on Religion, by
" fetting the Laws of God at variance."
(p. J8.) And it muft be confefs'd, to the
Honour of this Gentleman's Scheme,
that He has luckily hit upon a moft in-
fallible method of Reconciling . Natural
and Reveal'd Religion, and that is, by
making 'em both, in all refpeMSj ex-
actly the Same; and Chrijiianity muft
for the future moft unnaturally quair
rel with Itjelf, if it is any longer fif
'variance with the Law of Nature,

But the Truth is. He pays Revela-
tion but an aukward Compliment ; and
the mask of pretended Frieridfliip is
too thin a difguife to cover and con-
ceal the Real Foe» He treats Revela-
tion juft as Epicurus did the Gods ; of
whom it was obferv'd, that, tho' in
words he afknowkd^d a Deity ^ yet in
reality andeffeSi, he denied his Exijlence*;
and, as that old Philofopher, by exclud-
ing the Providence of the Gods from
the Government of Human Affairs, did,
to all the purpofes of Religion, deftroy
their Exiftence, and confequenjially efta-

* Epicurum verbis reliquiffe Peos, re fuftuliffe.
Cic^ d£ l^gt. Dmum. lib, 2.

B z WJ^

(4)

blifli downright Athiifmy Our Author,
by making Revelation of no life or Ad-
vantage to the World, does as effedlu-
ally take away its Reality^ ■ and by
neceflary confequence muft recur to
ebfolute Deifm.

To evince the Juftice of this Charge,
we (hall not at prefent appeal to his par-
ticular Treatment of the Chrifiian Re-
■•uelation. His Objections to the Gofpel
Scheme are but the Sallies and Excur-
fions of an Enemy from his Hfead Quar-
ters, and intended to illuftrate and ex-
emplify his General Hypethejis; which
being defign'd to ftrike at all pojjible
Revelation, is an Argument, a priori^
againft That particular One of the Gof-
pel.

For I defire it may be confider'd,
whether to affert, that Natural and
■ Reveal' d Religion cannot poffibly differ
but in the manner of their being communi-
cated, be not greatly to leffen, if not en-
tirely dejlroy, all Ufe and Expediency
of the latter. For is it not diredly to
affirm, that Reveald Religion can teach
us nothing, but what Natural Religion
had fuffciently inftrudled us in before;
or, in other words, that it is inconfift-
ent with the Infinite Wifdom and Good-
nefs of God, to make any difcovery of

his

(5)
his Will to mankind, by exprefs Reve-
latioriy to which his own unaffifted Rea-
fon cou'd not as well have led him
without it ?

If Natural Reafon alone be, at all
times, 2i fufficient Guide in matters of
Religion, I wou'd ask this Gentleman,
zealous as he is for its Honour, What
He has left for Revelation to perform?
A Man wou'd be thought impertinent,
who fhou'd offer to diredl another the
right way, whom he faw provided of a
Jufficient Guide. And is not Revelation^
upon this Gentleman's Scheme, as ufc-
lefs, not to fay impertinent, an Offer?
If it be ajufl maxim in Natural Philo-
fophy, that Nature does nothing in vain,
that all her operations' are conducted by
defign, and for wife ends and purpo-
fes, can we fuppofe the Author of Na-
ture, s. Being of Infinite wifdom and
goodnefs, ading, in any of his difpen-
fations to his Creatures, in vain and to
no purpofe? Thus this Gentleman, by
afcribing to Natural Reafon an abfolute
fufficiency in religious matters, does, in
effedl, make Revelation of no life, and,
by neceffary confequence, denies its ve-
ry reality and Exiflence.

This confequence I make ho doqbt
he faw, and even defign'd fliou'd fol-
low

(6)

low from his Hypothcfis, tho' at the ex-
pence of fetting his Profeflions at vari-
ance with his Principles, and being in-
confiftent with himfelf. However, as
he grants, in words at leaft, and as his
Scheme neceflarily fuppofes a Revelation
to have been aSiually given to the World ;
let us try, whether this very Conceflion
may not be improv'd into a good Ar-
gument, a priori, why Reveal'd Reli-
gion fhou'd, in fame rejpeEis, differ from
Natural.

I argue thus. If a Revelation b'e
aSiually given to the World, it muft
be given for fome reafon, or for none. If
for fome, I ask, What was That reafon ?
I am fare our Author will agree with
me, that Man, in his Original State
and Condition, ftood in no need of
Revelation. It follows, then, (fince
God cannot be fuppos'd to give it,
when it was not wanted) that there
muft have happen'd fonle change in
the condition of Human Nature. This
Change, then, whatever it was, and
however it came to pafs, was the Ground
and Reafon of the Revelation. And if
fo, is it not »eafonable to conclude,
that a ReveaV d KeXi^xon, ihe Expediency
of which is built upon a fuppos'd Al~
deration in the State of Human Nature,

fliou'd,

(7)

fhou'd, mfom refpeSis, differ from meet
Nat^iral Religion, which was the Reli-
gion of mankind in its original, primi--
tive, State ? — It is not my bufinefs, at
prefent, to {hew, in what refpedts Re-
veal'd Religion differs from Natural:
It is fufficient for my prefent purpofe
to demonftrate the Reafonablenefs of
concluding, a priori, that it may do f»
in fome refpefts,

I confefs. Our Author's Scheme la
not quite fo inconfiftent with itfelf, as
to fuppofe any real change to have hap-
pen'd in Human Nature. He even rea-
fons from the contrary Suppofition,
that it has been always the Same ; tho',
in this opinion, he plainly runs coun-
ter to Reafon, Hiftory, and Expe?-
rience. Yet I defire it may be obferv'd,
from the foregoing Chain of Argument,
that the Suppofition of an aBual Re*.
•velation being given to the World does,
of itfelf, without the fupports of Hi-
ftory, or Experience, clearly laSex fsme
Change to have really happen'd. What
an additional ftrength, then, muft this
Reafoning receive, when Hiftory and
Experience unite in confirming its
Truth and Juftneis, and in deraonftra-
ting that to have really come to pais,
which Reafon alone, from the confide-

ration

(8)

ration of an ABual Revelation mlgh^
juftly infer to have happen'd ? And, as
from hence we deduce the Suppofition
of a Change in the condition of Hu-
man Nature ; fo this confcquence, you
fee, evidently leads to another, namely,
that Reveal d Religion is really DiJlinSi
from Natural; which, at once, over-
throws this Author's Hypothefis of ma-
king 'em both, in all refpedts, exadtly
the fame.

To apply this Argument, briefly, to
the Cafe of Chrijiianity^ In the origi-
nal State of Mankind, as Human Na-
ture came Pure and UnfuUied out of
the Hands of its Creator, Natural Rea-
fon was its only Guide, and a Jufficient
Guide it undoubtedly was. After a Re-
volution of a certain Number of Years,
an exprefs Revelation appears, from un-
queftionable Proofs, to have been given
to the World. This (agreeably to the
foregoing Reafoning) implies fome Al-
teration to have happen'd in the con-
dition of Human Nature. What this
Change was, The Hiftory of Mankind,
The Complaints of Moralifts, together
with our own Experience, fufficienily
Inform us; and it appears to have been
an almoft General DefeSlion from Na-
ture and right Reafon, a Depravity of

Manners

Mannen and yudgment^ propagated^
and confirm'd by Education,^ Ciijlom, and .
Example; * in fhort, a Change of Man
C from

* " Simul at^ue editi in Lucem, & fufcepti fumus,
" in omni continuo pravitate, & in fumma opiniomm
" perverfitate, veriamur; ut peaie cum lafte nutricis er-
" roretn fuxifle videamur. Cum vero parentibus reddi-
" ti, deinde magifiris traditi fumus, turn ita variis im-
" buimur erroribus, ut vanitati Veritas, & opinioni con-
" firmatsE Natura ipja cedat. Cum vero accedit eodem,
" quafi maximus quidem magifter, Populus, atque anmis
" undique ad vitia confentiens multitudo, tum plane tii-
" ficimur opinionum pravitate, a natur,aque ipJa iefcijci-
" Plus. Cic. Tufc. Queii. lib. 3.

Our Author, in hts 14th Chapter, (zohich is wMl^
levePd againji the late Dr. Clarke'^ Evidences of Natural
and RevfeaPd Religion) wa^s/ the'folkwing remark upon
the Dotlot's ju^ing this very p,4ffage.

" Tie Dr. (Jays he) having taken a large faffagefrom
" Ciceroi where the Orator very rhetorically defcribes the
"great arruptions of his times,. and ajjigns the cau/es
" thereof, makes this remark,, thzt a livelier defcriptipp
" of the prefent corrupt State of Human Nature is not
" ealily to Be met with : ivhith I, think is fufficiently
" owning, that/Human Nature at prfefent is far from be-
" ittg exalted to fo high a ft ate of perfedion, or in the
" leaft mended, (p. 40Z.)

/ cdnnot dnfioer this remark better, than in the words
*f the ingenious Dr. Stebbing, " the Gentleman thinks,
" iifeems, that notmihftanding the fuppos'd virtue of the
*' Gofpel to refirm Mankind, 'the world is not one jot the
•' better fir it i and he would be very glad to persuade
" you, that Dr: Clarke was of the fame opinion But
" what does the DoSor fay? Why, that the defcription,
" which Cicero gave of Human' Nature in his time, agrees
" with the corrupted State of mankind in this: Very we'll,
" and whoever looks into the pajfage of QS.ctxo, cited by
" Dr. Clarke, will find thai, it does. But what then ?
" Did the Dailor mean to fay, that the State of mankin I
*' is not in the leaft mended by the coming in of the Gif-

" pel ?

( I^)

from an Upright ^ and Innocent ^ to a de-

pravd and finful. Creature. Hence,

then, muft arile the Expediency of the

Chrijiian Revelation-, and, therefore, as

Natural Religion was the Religion of

Innocent, unoffending Mankind; Reveal" d

Religion may very properly be defin'd

to be the Religion of the fame Mankind,

in lis Jinful, offending, State. Now, as

the Circumjiances ot Human Nature, to

which Natural and Reveal'd Religion

muft be fuppos'd refpeSlively adapted,

evidently appear to be different, here is

room for the Religious them/elves, in

fome refpedts, to differ. And there is

great Reafon to think, that Other means

were wanting, in the corrupt Eftate of

Mankind, to rejiore, and fecure, the

Interefts of Virtue and Goddnefs, than

were neceffary to have continud them,

before it had degenerated, and become

corrupt.

Thus far I have argu'd only ex con-
cejjb. The Reader will obferve, that
this Reafoning is not defign'd as a com-
pleat determination of the point in que-

" fcl ? Kd fuch mntter. He /peaks here of Human Kn-
" tare, as fuch, and abJlraHed from any Influence or Im-
" frcvar.er.t from the Goftel. And, in this fenfe, it ii
" certain, that Human Nature is now, and was then,
" exnftly the fame". Defence of Dr. Clarke, p. 93.
&: 94-

(lion.

ftion. All, that is here aim'd at, is to
fliew the ihcohfiftency of fuppofing aa
aBual Revehtien, ' and at the fame time
making it to be nothing more, than
meer N after dl Religion; and that the-
very fuppofition implies a prppabk
Ground or Reafon of fome difference
between them. But, becaufe it will be
neceflary entirely to lay open the fal-
lacy of an Hypothe/is, which is defign'd,
under the pretence of reconciling Re-
veal'd Religion with Natural, to fuper-
fede the Ufe and Expediency of the
Former, and confequerttly to deftroy
the Credit and Authority of the Gof-
pei-Rev'elation ; I go on to confider our
Author's Reafoning in fupport of it.
«' It wou'd be tedious, and indeed un-
hdceffary, to follow him thro' all the
turnings and windings of an Hypothefis,
which he has wiredrawn thro' above
four hundred Pages in ^arto, and to '
view each particular Argument in the
variety of Lights he has fet it. This
would fwell the Criticifm to a larger
fize, than the Performance it cenfures.
But there is a paffage in his firjl Chap-
ter^ which is both the Ground-work
and Summary of his whole Scheme; the
reft ot his long, elaborate, Treatife be-
ing but a large Comment or Reading up-
C 3 o|:>

( «o

on the Arguments there advanc'd. I
beg leave, therefore, to produce the
pafiage, at length, becaufe I wou'd not
be thought to diffemble any part of the
force of this Gentleman's Reaibning.

It is thus introduc'd.

B. (One of the perfdnages of the
dialogue) informs his friend, (A.) that
he bad been " in company with a
" great many clergy-men, at a Bifhop's
*' primary Vifuation ; where the com-
" plaint was general of the coldnefs
*' and indiffereocy, with which people
*' receiv'd the Sj?eculative points of
" Chriftianity, and all its holy rites,
" for which they had formerly Shewn
*' fo great a zeal. This coldnefs (he
" tells him) they imputed to thofe Low-
" church-men, who lay the main ftrefs
" on Natural Religion ; and withal fo
" magnify the dodtrine of Sincerity, as
" in eflFcft to place All Religions on a
" level, where the Profeflbrs are alike
" Sincere", (p. i.)

I pafs over that part of A'& reply,
which concerns the doArine of Since-
rity, with only this fhort remark, that
hie evades giving a direft anfwer to the
pbjedionj only afferting, that " a iin-

" cere

( 13)
" cere examination (into religious mat-
" ters) rauft always make men accep-
" table to God } " which is very true,
but no folution of the difficulty ; fmce
it will never follow, that, becaufe a
Pagan and a Chriftian are equally Jin-
cercy therefore their Religions are equal-
ly good.

As to the other of the two impor-
tant points, be replys diredly, that *' too
" great ftrefs can't be laid on Natural
" Religion," which (as he takes it)
^* differs not from Reveal'd, but in tl^
" manner of its being communicated ; the
" one being the internal, as the other
*' the external Revelation of xhcjame un-
*• changeable will of a Being, who is
" at all times infinitely Wife and Good".

(P- 3-)

Surpriz'd at the Novelty of this Hy^

pothefs. By replys, " Surely, Sir, this

" muft be excreamly Heterodox. Can

" you believe, that Natural and Re^

" veal'd Religion differ only in the

*' manner of their being convey'd to

" us ? " Then follows the Proof of the

Propofition ; in which our Author plays

the Socrates, and reafons from the con-

cefHons of his Pupil, in the following

manner,

J,

( H)

" A. As Heterodox, as I may feem
" at prefent, I doubt not, but by asking
" you a fevr queftions, to let you See I
" advance nothing in fhfs poi^f without
" Reafon 5 and, in order to it, I define
" to be inform'd, whether Gut/ has not
" from the beginning given mankind
*' fome Rule or Law for their condudl ;
" and whether the obferving That did
'.* not make 'em acceptable to him".

" B. There can be no doubt, but
" the obferving fuch a Law mufl: have
" anfwer'd the End, for which it was
" given, and made Men acceptable to
" God.

" j4. What more can any External
" Rewlation do, than render Men ac-
^' ceptable to God? — Again,

" If God, then, from the beginning,
*' gave Men a Re/igion, was That Re-
^' ligion pcrfeifl, or imjifcrftdt?

" B. Moft Perfedt, no doubt ; fince
" no Religion can come from a Being
" of . infinite wiltiom and perfedlion!^'
" but what is abjblutcly perfeSt.

" A. Can therefore a Religion, ahfo-
" lutely perfeB, admit of any Alteration,
•' or be capable of Addition, or Dimi-
" nution, and not b? as imtmjtable as
" the Author of it ? Can Revelation
" ad^ any thing to a Religion, thus

" abfolutely

( ^5)

'* abfol,utely;,perfe<ftj. univerfal, and Im-
" mutable ? — Befides, I£ God', ha.^ gi-
^' ven mankind a Law, -he muft have
" given them hkewife Biifficient means
" of knowing- it; he wou'd ;0therv?ife
" have defeated his own -Intent in gi-
" ving it; fince a Law, as fai; as it. is
" unintelligible, ceafes to be a Law.
" Shall we fay, that Godj who, had
" the forming human underftanding,
" as well as his own Laws; dic| not
" know how to adjuft the one to the
" other ?

" If God at all times was willing
" all men JhoiCd come to the knowledge
" of his 'Truth, cou'd not his infinite
" Power at all times ' find fufficient
" means for making mankind capable
" of knowing, what his infinite Good-
" nefs defign'd they fhou'd know ?

" B. I grant you, that God was al-
*' ways willing, that All men fhou'd
" come to the knowledge of his Truth ;
" and we fay, that the Chrijiian Reli-
" gion, being the only triie and abfo'r
" lutely perfeft Religion, was what
♦' God, from the beginning, defign'd
" for all mankind.

" A. If fo, it follows, that the Chri-
" Jiian Religion has exifted from the be^
" ginning ; and that God both 'Then, and

" ever

( i6)

" ever Jince^ has continu'd to give to all
" Mankind fufEcient means to know it j
« and that it is their duty to know, be-
" lieve, profefs, and praiftice it; So that
*' Cbrijiiamty, tho' the name be of la-
*' tcr date, muft be as old^ and as ex-
*' tenfive, as Human Nature, and, as
*' the Law of our Creation, muft have
*' been then implanted in us by God
« himfelf.

By fuch kind of Reafoning, as this,
Our Author endeavours to prove Chri-
Jlianity to be as old as the Creation, or,
in other words, nothing more than the
Law of Nature differently communicated.
As it is very evident, with what view
this Hypothefis is advanc'd ; that the
real defign of it is to fet afide Reveal'd
Religion, as of no Ufe to mankind ; it
will be necefTary, in viiwlication of the
Chriflian Inftitution, to detedt the Fal-
lacy of this Reafoning ; which I flatter
my felf I {hall be able to do, in the
following Remarks on it.

Firft, then, He begins with asking,
*' Whether God has not from the be-
" ginning given Mankind fome Rule or
" Law for their condud ? " This is al-
low'd him, and upon this foundation he
goes on to build the jihfolute PerfeSiion
of the Religion of Nature. But I beg

leave

( 17 )
leave to flop but modern Socrates avfritllfe
in his fiill careel: of Interrogatories, in of-
der to enquire, in what fenfe Natural
^elmon thay be faid to he giveA us by
Goahimjelf. This will be found to be
no unneceflary Queftibn, when We come
to ftate the true notion of the PerfeSlidh
of Natural Religion. Now, as we re-
ceive our Reajoning Faculties, no leis
than our Exiftence, froin God, whatever,
by the du6 ule of them, we difcover to
be his Will, may, ifi fonit fertfe, be faid
to be a Rule given us by Qod himfelf;
tho^ JlriSlly fpeaking, it muft be referr'd
to the ExerCife ctf ottr Reafon, as its
immediate Source and Origin. Mr. Locke
has, I think, clearly fhewn, that the
Human Mind has no Innate Idea, even
of the Deity himfelf ; much lefs can
we fuppofe an Innate Religion, a Scheme
of Duties, Written 6rigina}ly on Man's
Heart, and ihimediatdy difcoverable to
his infant Underftanding. It is no dif-
ficult ritiatter to trace all our knowledge
of the Nature of God, and the Duties
arifing from thence, from the firft im-
prejjions made on our SenJ'es, by External
ObjeSls, thro' the feVeral Operations of
the mind. Senfation lets in upon the
Soul the diftind: Ideas of the Greatneis,
Order, and Variety, of Natural Bodies
D about

( i8 )

about US; and ReJkSiion from thefe ma-
terials ftrikes out a Deity. This noble
Idea becomes the pregnant Mother of all
our Notions of A(^oration, and Prayer,
And the whole Syilem of Moral Virtues.
Here, then, you have the true Source,
and Origin, ,of Natural Religion. It is
the immediate Refult oi iSlatural Rea-
Jln, and flows from the due Exercife of
thofe faculties, which God has given
.us ; apd therefore can only , be ultimately
referr'd to him, as xht. Author and Giver
of thofe faculties. The cafe is muqh
the fame, as in the Acquirement of Arts
^nd Sciences. The faculty of Invention,
it is true, is the» Q'lix. of Heaven ; but
the difcovery itfelf is our own ; not that
,1^ wou'd infer from hence, that the
-knpwledge of our Duty is as difficult to be
attain'd, as a {till in the Mathematicks.
Let Natural Religion be as plain, as you
,pleafe, fo plain, that he, thai runs, may
read, it; ypt flill it muft be read; we
-muft exercife our Reafon about the Re-
laiipns we ftand in to God, and one an-
„other, before we can have any know-
ledge of the Duties, v^hich flow from
- thole Relations; and this is all I contend

A This, then, is what eflentlally diflin-
guiflies Natural from Revealed Religion,

that

( 19 )■
that the former is a Difcovery of ou^
own^ and what Rdafon colledls from the
apparent Nature of Things ;' but the'
latter is founded upon the exprefs De-
claration and Interpofition of God him-
felf : and therefore it is very ^ plain, in
what fenfe alone it can, be faid, that;
God bai from the beginning giirenmankinS
' Jome Rule or Law for their. cQndu5i\ and'
that is, ' by giving them fuch ^biUties of
Reafori and'0nderftanding, as to be able,
by the due Ufe.and Exercife of them, to
form to themfelves fotnp I^ule or Law;

But does not Our Author manifeftly
confound this diftind:ion between the
true Source of Natural, and that of Re-
veal'd Religion ? Does not His manner
of Expreffioq infinuate, as if the Su-
pream Bejng, irrimediately upon the
Creation of Man, did, in perfon, or by
an exprefs meflenger from heaven, give
him a Religion, and iriftitute a fett of
Duties, to be the^ Eternal Rule, and
Law, of his Condudl ? And,' is not this
plain from the ufe he make? of it, ih
fuppofing Natural Religion to be an
abfohitely perfed Religion, fpr this very
reafon; as coming from a Being of Infinite
PerfeSiion ? This, I own, is artfully
enough contriv'd to prejudice the incau-
|:ipus Reader ; and, by blending the Idea
D 2 pf

(20)

of Revelation with that of Natural Re-
ligion, admirably ferves an Hypothefis,
which is to prove 'em both to be the
fame; tho' at the expence of this plaia
contradidion (which perhaps he was
not aware of) that, whilil he excepts
the manner of their being communicated^
he expreffes himfelf, as if they were
communicated after the fame manner.
But, The truth is. His manner of argu-
ing oblig'd him to make ufe of this am-
higuQus Account of the origin of Natu-
ral Religion. For had he, in exprels
terms, a2erted, that Man had, from the
beginnings by the exercife of his Reafon,
form'd to himfelf fome Rule or Law for
his conduB, he wou'd have been at a lofs
to have infer 'd from thencq the abfolute
PerfeSlion of the Religion of Nature.

But to go on; It being allow'd him
(as he thinks it muft) that God has, from
the beginning, given Mankind fome Rule
or Law for his conduSi ; and that the ob~
fervation of that Rule mujl render men
acceptable to God; he aflcs, with an air
of triumph, " What more can any Ex-
" ternal Revelation do, than render Men
" acceptable to God?" But what can
reafonably be concluded from hence ?
Why nothing more, thaij that the Endy
theDefign, the Aim, both of Natural and

Reveal'd

(21 )

ReveaVd Religion are the fame, not that
the Religions themjehes are fo ; unlefs he
can prove it invpoflible to attain the
fame End, by different means, under
different circunjftances.

But the favourite Argument, and that
upon which he lays the greateft ftrefs,
is the Abjblute PerfeSiion of the Religion
of Nature : and to put it paft all doubt»
in what fenfe he underftands Natural
Religion to be abfolutely perfe^y he ex-
cludes from it all poffibility of Altera-
tion. Addition, or Diminution ; i. e. in
plain terms, The Religion of Nature is
fo perfeSi, as to be incapable of receiving
any Improvement from Revelation.

At prefent, I wave all confideration
of the corruption and depravity of Hu-
man Nature. Let the Natural Reafon of
mankind have all the PerfeSiion you can
fuppofe it capable of; and let us ex-
amine, whether the Religion of Nature,
even upon this Suppofition, can be faid
to be abfolutely perfeSl, And here we
muft take into the queftion the forego-
ing account of the origin of Natural
Religion ; which will, I think, help us
to a true Eftimate of ixsperfeBion : For,
if the Natural Religion of Mankind
fprings from the due Exercife of their
U^timal Faculties, Its PerfeSiion (to

fpeak

.peak with the Mathematicians) mud: be
'n a given Ratio to the PerfeBim of Hu-
man R^'iijon : i. e. the Religion of Na-
ture is more or lefs perfedt, in proper^
tion as Human Reafon is more or lefs
fo. Happinefs, Reafon, and Religion,
have a clofe and intimate connedlionand
dependance on each other, and, hke the
feveral ^antities in a Scries of Propor-
tionals, vary together. Thus a given
degree of Hc'^puu'l's, to be attain'd, re-
quires a proportionable fliare of Re'afon]
m order to attain it; and a determinate-
dc-'rce of Re. •/on will always produce a
Rihy^'icn, whole Perfetlion will be in an
f wact Rr'io or Proportion to it. • •

The Qneftion, then, recurs to tliis;
whether the Natural Reajon ofmank'ind
in irs purcfc and mofl: uncorrupted ftate,'
be rJ-ipJutc'v perfeB. But fure the fond-
eft Advocates for the fufficiency of Hu-
man Reafon never afferted it to be fo.
T; is certain, God has given to different,
intelligent, Creatures different degrees'
'if Reafon and Underftanding. Thus
Angels muft excel Men in the Strengrh
and Capacity of their intelledlual facul-
ties, as much as the Angelic is fuperior,
in the fcale of Exiftence, to the Human
Nature. And, therefore, as all Rational
Beings muft have their proper Religion;

will

(23 )

will it not follow, that the Religion of
Angels (which muft arife, as well as
T^hat oi Men, from the Knowledge they
have of the Nature and Relatiom of
things) muft not their Religion, I fay,, be
fo much more perfedl, than/A^jf oi mm^
in proportion as the apprehenfions and.
underilandings of thefe exalted Creatures
are more enlarg'd and extenfive, than
thofe of the Human , Race f Gonfeqiiently
the natural Religion of Mankind cannot
be faid to be abjblutely perfeSi.

And this very naturally leads us to
the true Notion of ^ts P erf e^ ion; which
can be no more than this, that it isfuf-
ficient, if duly attended to, for all the
purpofes of Human Happinefs : i. e. Nch
tural Reajon, unprejudic'd and imcorrupt,
\%fuffcient to guide us lo^that Happi-
nefs, for -the enjoyment of ^which our
Creator form'd us. To explain this far-
ther. Whatever is fufEcient to produce
the End, .propos'd to be attain'd by it,
is fo farf>erfe6f. I {zy fo far*, only : for,
confider'd in another Lighf^ it may
really be imperfedl. If I have ftrength
enough of Body to perform with eafe
all the fun<ftions of Life, my ftrength is,
with refpedt to me, PerfeSl ; tho' I
have not the, Limbs and Force of a Gi-
ant. I may have Light enough, by the
, > friendly

( 24 )
friendly Aid of the Moon, to direft me
in the right road, and fecure me from
the danger of ftumbling, tho' I cannot,
at that time, enjoy the Light of the
Noon-day Sun. In both cafes, th6
Strength, I aft by, and the Light, that
guides me, are fujficient for the End
propos'd, and confequently, in that re-
fped, PpfeSly tho' were my ftrength to
be compar'd with that of a Giant, or the
faint beams of the Moon with that full
fplendor of Day, which the meridian
Sun affords, they wou'd each be found,
in the comparifon, to be in reality Im-
perfeB.

Apply this to the cafe of Natural
Religion. The End, propos'd by God,
in the produdlion of mankind, was,
without doubt, the H^pinefs of his
Creatures. For this purpofe, he gave them
Reajdn, to enable them to diftinguifh
between Good and Evil, and to difcover
the will of their Creator, or, which is
the fame thing, to difcern what Adtions
and Duties the feveral Relations they
ftood in to God, and one another, nam-
rally and neceflarily requir'd of them :
and the due obfervation of thefe Duties,
thus difcover'd, was undoubtedly fii^
cient to condudt them to all the Happi-
nels, of which their Natures were capa-
ble.

( 25 )
ble. Tho' the Reafon of Men be not fb
Strong, as that, of Angels \ tho' Nature
does not hold out fo bright andglaring
a Light to the former, as {he does to
the latter ; yet has Man no caufe of
complaint, that his Reafon is not juffi-*
ciently ftrong, or that he is left to grope
uncertainly, in the dark, in fearch of
his Duty, for want of Light enough
from Nature to lead him diredly and
unerringly to it. In this.fenfe therefore,
Natural Religion, as being a Sufficient
Rule, wasia PerfeSi One,

But will not this fuperfede the Ufe of
Divine Rc'^elation^ If God has, from
the beginning, fufficiently provided for
Human Happineife, to what purpof^
any new difeovery of his Will? This
is the very Scope of our Author's Ar-
gument, when he adds, " Befides, if
" God has given mankind a Law, he
" muft have given them likewife fuffi-
" cient means of knowing it; he wou'd
" otherwife have defeated his own in-
" tent in giving it ; fince a Law, as far
" as it is unintelligible ceafes to be a
" Law. Shall we fay, that God, who
" had the forming human underftand-
," ing, as well as his own Laws, did not
«' know how to adjuft the one to the
" other?" aind prefently after, " If God,
E at

( 2-6)

" at all times, was •willing all menjhould
" come to the knowledge of his truth,
« eou'd not his infinite wifdom and
"^ Power, at all times, find fufficient
" means, for making Men capable of
" knowing, What his infinite Goodneis
<« defign'd they fliou'd know ? "

To which I reply, that God Almigh-
ty did actually give mznMmA fufficient
means of knowing this Law, by giving
them the Faculty of Reafon: but, tho'
it be impoffible to fuppofe God fliou'd
himfelf defeat his own intent, might not
Man, by a gradual corruption of his Rea-
fon, defeat this intent of Providence;
efpecially, if we confider him as, what
he really is, a Free- Agent-, which makes
it improper for God to interpofe, with-
out indeed defeating bis own intent, in
giving h'lm ' Free-fVill? If the perfedl
knowledge of this Law depends upon
an impartial Exercife of our Reafoning
Faculties, will not their being deprav'd,
and prejudic'd by Cuftom and Example,
render the Law, tho' not abfolutely un-
intelligible, much more difficult to be un-
derftood, than originally it was j it ma-
king no difference in the prefent cafe,
whether the Law itfelf be unintelligible,
or the Faculties, by which only it can
be apprehended, be impair'd, and be-
come

(27)

come def€(3Ive j as a Man Is equally in
the dark, whether the Light be re-
mov'd from him, or his Eyes fhut — ?
So fhat, tbo' Human Underjianding was
originally adjujled to the Law, of Nature,
it might become, thro' prgudice and
corruption, incapable of a clear and
thorough apprehenfipn of it, and con-
fequently liable to great miftakes about
it. Thus, to illuftrate the thing by a
familiar Inftance, The Eye is adjujled
to the natural Colours o£ Bodies ; yet, to
a man in a jaundice every thing ap-
pears tinftur'd with yellow. The fame
may be true of the mind's Eye, which
may be fo far impair'd, as to judge
wrong even of the plaineft Laws of Na-
ture. If therefore you take into the
confideration a fuppoid Degeneracy of
Human Nature, Natural Religion, in
fuch a ftate, will be {relatively, tho*
not abfolutely) an ImperfeB, becaufe an
Infufficient, Religion ; for the fame Rea-
fon, that, in the uncorrupt ftate of
Mankind, we fay it wa§ a TerfeSl, be-
caufe zjiifficient, Religion.

But it will be faid, Has this fuppos'd
Degeneracy of Human Nature any founr
dation in Tfuth and Reality? I am
afraid, upon Examination, it will be
found to be more than Suppojition. If
P 2 Hiftory

(28 )

Hiftory is to be credited, if the com-
plaints of moralifts are juftly grounded,
Human Reafon, in general, is exceed-
ingly degenerate and corrupt. A few
great Minds, indeed, there hdve been,
A Socrates, A Plato, A Cicero, who
were not entirely born down with the
torrent of Error; but, alas!

Apparent rari nanfes in gurgite vajlo.

and it muft be remember'd, that when
we aflert the Expediency of Revelation,
we mean, with regard to the Bulk of
mankind: tho* were we to confider the
diverfity of opinions amongft the great-
eft Philofophers, in points of the high-
eft confequence to religion, we might
apply to the whole world, without ex-
ception, what the Author of the Book
of Baruch, fpeaking of njoifdom, fays,
*' It hath not been heard of in Canaan,
" neither hath it been feen in Theman.
" The Agareens, that feek wifdom up-
" on Earth, the merchants of Meran,
" of Theman, the Author's of Fables,
" and fearchers out of Underftanding ;
*' none of thefe have known the way of
*' wifdom, or remember her Paths. "" c.
3. u 22, 23.

You

(29)

You fee, then, the Foundation, up-
on which the Expediency of Revelation
is built ; not any Defe^ in the Original
Law, but One in Human Under jianding.
And, indeed, if we take a view of the
world, before the Light of the Gofpel
(hone upon it, and fee it deep funk in
the darknefs of Ignorance and Error ; if
we refledt on the Idolatrous Pracflices of
Mankind, and confider, that the grojfejt
Immoralities, inftead of being difcoun-
tenanc'd by Religion, were frequently
made a part of it, we (hall have reafon
fufficient to think, that Mankind was,
for many ages, in a deplorable State, for
want of an external Revelation; notwith-
ftanding our Author's Argument to the
contrary ; which is, that " If God does
" every thing, that is fit for him to do,
" Men cou'd not be in fuch ftate, be-
" caufe God did not do a thing, which
" was not fit for him to do, viz. make
" a Revelation, before it was fit for him
" to make it." (p. 195.) that is, I fup-
pole, if Men had adtually been in fuch
a deplorable ftate, as I have defcrib'd,
it would have been fit for God to have
made a Revelation of his will, and con-
fequently he would have done it; but,
as in fait he did not do it, it follows,
that Men were not in fuch a ftate. To

which

( 30 )
which I anfwer, that Men might have
been in fuch a deplorable ftate, and yet
it might not have been fit for God, in
thofe ages, to make a Revelation of bis
will ; for it ought to be confidcr'd, that
a Revelation is an yiSf of meer Favour,
not of Jujlice; and furely God was no
more oblig'd to re/iore a Creature, fallen
from his original Perfedlion, than he
was to have created him, at firft, with-
out a poffibility of falling. So that,
had Mankind continu'd to the End of
the World in the fame deplorable State,
I cannot fee, that it wou'd have been
any Impeachment of the divine Juftice.
If therefore it cannot be prov'd from
the Attribute of Juftice, that God ought
to have given mankind a Revelation,
may there not have been wife Reafons,
which we are unacquainted with, why
He defer'd doing, what he was not obligd
to do at all, to a more diftant period of
Time ? The Subftance of what I have
here advanc'd, upon this fubjedl of the
PerfeSiion and jufficiency of Natural Re-
ligion, is briefly this.

The Religion of Nature is the imme-
diate Refult, or Produdtion, of Human
Reafon. And, therefore, when we fay,
that " God has from the beginning gi-
" ven mankind fome Rule pr Law fpr

" his

** his condudl," we can only mean As
he is the Author and Giver of thofe Rea^
fining faculties, by the due exercifeof
which we difcover his Will. And, there-
fore,

Even in the iincorrupted Eftate of Hu-
man Nature, Natural Religion cannot be
faid to be abfolutely perfeB, becaufe Na-
tural Reafin, from whence it flows, is
not abfilutely ferfeSl ; but its Perfediion
can only confift in its fufficiency to pro-
duce that Happinefs, for which mankind
was form'd. But,

In the corrupt and degenerate condi-
tion of Human Reafon, Natural Religioa
will be (relatively tho' not abfihtely) aa
Imperfect, becaufe an Injufficienfy Reli-
gion. And,

Upon this very foundation is built the
Expediency oi ^ divine Revelation -j not
on any real DefeSi in the original Law,
but One in Human JJnderftanding.

And thus far I have examin'd our AtP-
thor's reafoning in the fore-cited Paflage,
and flatter my felf, that, what I have
here advanc'd, isj fomething more to the
purpofej. than the trifling Reply, which
he has artfully put into the mouth of
his Opponent. For all that B. fays,
upon the Occafion is this. " I grant
'• you, that God was always willing all

« Men

(32 )

** Men fliould come to the knowledge
«' of true Religion ; and we fay, that
« the Chriftian Religion, being the on-
«' Jy True and abfolutely perfedl Rcli-
" gion, was what God, from the begin-
« rung, defign'd for all mankind." Thfe
true fecret of making B. Reply, in this
manner, difcovers itfelf immediately, in
the Ufe our Author makes of it. " If
*' fo (fays he) it follows, that the Chri-
*• Jiian Religion muft have exifted from
«' the beginning." If he will give me
leave, for once, to help the poor Gen-
tleman out, he (hall anfwer in the fol-
lowing manner. ' I grant you, that God

* was always willing, that All Menjhou'd
•* come to the knowledge of true Religion -y

* and therefore, he gave them Rea-

* fon, the due i^irercife of which wou'd

* infallibly have led them to it; but,

* thro' the gradual corruptions of Human

* Nature, it became, at length, exceed-

* ing difficult for the Bulk of mankind

* to arrive at the knowledge of True

* Religion, by the help oiunqffljied Reafon

* alone. Revelation^ then, was plainly

* wanting ; and the Chrijiian being,

* from unqueftionable Proofs, the only

* True Revelation, and, among the ma-

* ny infituted Religions in the world,

* undeniably the beft, was what God,

'from

( 33 )

* from the beginnings defign'd fliou'd be

* obferv'd by all thofe, to whom, in his
' own good appointed time, he fhou'd be
' graciouily pleas'd to renjeal it '. This
ought to have'beea the Anfwer. But
he had it in his power to make the Gen-
tleman exprefs himfelf, juft as he thought
fit ; and it was wifely done to frame fuch
a Reply for him, as fhou'd diredly infer
the very Hypothefis, which our Author
was labouring to eftablifh.

And here I cannot but obferve, how
artfully he has endeavour'd to perplex
the Subjeft with difficulties; not fuch in
reality, but meet Phantoms of his own
raifing; as, firft, at Page the 7th; where
poor B. is ftrangely bewilder'd. He
" cannot deny Men's being acceptable
" to God, whatever their opinions may
" be; after having us'd all the means
" God has given them for the difcovery
" of his Will;" and yet, " he does not
" know how to admit it > for then, fays
" he, (pray mind the reafon) what Re-
" ligioh foever men are of, That, I fey,
" however oppolite to Chriftianity, muft
" be the Religion God defign'd for them."
But why To, pray ? I own I was at a lofs
to guefs the reafon, why a Religioq, op-
pofite to Chriftianity, can poffibly be a
Religion, defign'd for any part of man-
F kind

(34)
kind by God himfelf ; till, calling my
Eye back, I ftumbled upon this pro-
found Argument ; viz. that " If Men,
" havbg done all in their power, all
" that God requires of 'em, to find out
" his will, fliou'd fall into oppofite fen-
" timents, muft it not be the will of
" God, thatitjhou'dbefo? Can God will
<' fuch an Examination, and not will
*' what he foreknows muft be the ne-
" ceflary confequence ? " Q>. 6.) wKich I
will venture to leave with the Reader,
without any reply.

But B. plunges ftill deeper in difficulty,
" On the other hand (fays he) ftiou'd I
" own, that the duly ufing thofe means
<' wou'd have caus'd all Men to be of
" one Religion, yet I cannot fee how
" that cou'd be the Chrijiian Religion,
" except it has exijiedfrom the beginning''
Artful enough ! But where's the necef-
fity, that this Univerfal Religion muft
have been the Chrijiian ? on the con-
trary, had all men been of one Religion,
pure, uncorrupted. Natural Religion,
there wou'd have been no Occafion for
Cbrijiianity.

Having (hewn, upon how falfe a foun-
dation our Author's Hypothefis is built,
it will be eafy to demonftrate the in-
conclufivenefs of the following Argu-
ments,

( 35 )
merits, among many othersi by wiiicJ^
he has endeavour'd to confirm his Ge-
neral Affertion, that Natural and Re-
veal'd Religion differ only in the manner
of their being communicated. As, firft.
He fays,

" If God ;only comijiands, what the
*' Nature of things {hews to bie fit, it is
" fcarce poflible, that Men (tho' how
" endlefsly divided upon the account of
" their different Traditions) fhou'd mi-
" ftake their duty ; fince a Mind that is
" attentive, can as eafily diftinguifli ^if
^ from unfits as the Eye can Beauty from
" Deformity, or the Ear Harmony from
" Difcord ; and, if no comnjands can
<=' alter the nature of things, or make
" that fir, which is in itfelf unfit, Ex-
" ternal Revelation muft attend the Na-
*f ture and Relations of things, and can
" only fpeak what thofe fpeak," (p. 3 1.)
Which is plainly fuppofing, that Reafon^
alone, is capable of determining every
thing, which it is fit for God to com-
mand, even antecedently to the command
itfelf: a very high Compliment to Hu-
man Reafon ; but which, in its greateft
perfedlion, I am afraid it does not de-
ferve. The utmoft we can with any
certainty affirm is, that, whenever God
gives his Creatures any command, the
^ F 2 naturq

. (36)
nature of things will (hew it to be fit ;
the marks of wifdom and goodnefs will
plainly difcover themfelves ; and the at-
tentive mind will perceive its fitnefs, as
eafily as the Eye diftinguifhes Beauty, or
the Ear Harmony. But it will not fol-
low, that therefore the Natiire of things
will point out to us, a priori, every thing,
that is fit to be the fubjedl of God's
command ; and that Human Reafon is
able previoufly to determine every Law,
which the Supream Governor of the
Univerfe ought to give his Creatures.
Were this the cafe, we might reply to a
meffenger from Heaven, that he might
fpare himfelf the trouble of delivering
his mefiage, fince we were already, from
the notices of our own Reafon, appriz'd
of his Errand. God, in his wife Provi-
dence, and fuperintendency over Human
Aifairs, may fee occafion to give his
Creatures Laws, which their own Fore-
fight cou'd not point out ; but which
will appear, when given, to be the re-
fult of confummate Wifdom. So that,
tho' it be never fo true, that External
Revelation muft attend the Nature and
Reafon of things, fo far, as not to pre-
fcribe any thing, which contradicls thofe
Relations ; yet it is by no means a con-
fequence, that it can only fpeak what

they

( 37 ) _
they fpeak. Reveal' d Religion, may fpeak
more than Natural, provided the Lan-
guage of the former do not contradid: the
Voice of the latter.

Hence, then, it is eafy to anfwer the
following Queftions, which our Author
immediately after puts. " Shou'd-Re-
" velation require lefs, than thofe rela-
" tions require, wou'd it not be an im-
" perfedl Rule ? And if it enjoyns more,
*' wou'd it not argue theAuthorj^pf it to
" be of a tyrannical Nature, impofing
" on his fubjedts, and under fevere Pe^
" nalties, unneceffary things, and like-
" wife {hew a defign not of being be-
" loved, but hated and dreaded ? And
" therefore thofe, who fee the conle-
'' quences of things, defcribe the Chri-
" ftian Religion as requiring fuch things
" only, as, confidering the Relations we
"^ ftand in to God, and one another, are
" apparently for our Good." To which
I reply, that it is a plain begging of the
Queftion, to fay, that, " If Revelatioa
" enjoyns more, than the Law of Na-
" ture, it argues the Author of it to be
" of a tyrannical Nature, impofing on
" his fubjedts unneceffary things." To
prove this, the Nature and Intent of th6
command itfelf muft be taken into con-
lideration ; and you can never be fure 'a

Law

(38 )
Law is unneceflary, 'till you know what
it is, and the Endy for which it is given.
Again,

" I defire only to be allow'd, that
*' there's a Religion of Nature and Rea-
" fon, written in the Hearts of every
" one of us from the firft Creation ; by
*' which all Mankind muft judge of the
« Truth of any Inftituted Religion what-
*« ever: and, if \i varies from the R.eli-
" gion of Nature and Reafon, in any
*' one particular, nay in the minuteft cir-
V cumilance; that is an argument, which
" makes all things elfe, that can be faid
" in its fupport, totally incffedtual. If
»' fo,muft not Natural Religion, and Ex~
« ternal Revelation, like two tallies, ex-
" zdi\y anfwer one another, without any
*' other difference between them, but as
" to the manner of their being deliver d?
" And, how can it be otherwife? Can
" Laws be imperfeft, where a Legifla-
" tor is abfolutely perfedl ? Can Time
*• difcover any thing to him, which he
" did not forefee from Eternity ? And,
" as his Wifdom is always the fame, fp
" is his Goodnels, and confequently,
" from the confideration of both thefe,
" his Laws muft always be the fame.
" Is it not, from the infinite wifdom
" and goodnels of (jod, that you fup-

" pofe

(39)
*' pofe the Gojpel'vi moft petfedt Law,
" incapable of being repeal'd, or alter'd,
*' or of having additions ; and muft not
" you own the Law of Nature as per-
" fed: a Law, except you will fay, that
" God did not arrive to the perfedlioa
" of wifdom and goodnefs, till about
" feventeen hundred years ago ? (p. 60.)
I have already expkin'd, at large, in
what fenfe alone the Religion of Nature
can be faid to come from God ; and thac
is, As it is the Refult of thofe faculties
of Reafon and Underftanding, which
we receive immediately from him.
Which Account of the fource and Ori-
gin of Natural Religion will {hew us,
how far we may fafely grant our Au-
thor's Pojluiatum, that there is a Religion
of Nature and Reafon written in the Heart i
of every one of us from the firji creation ;
namely thus far, that Every Man is na-
turally endu'd with a capacity ot diftin-
gui(hing Right from Wrong. This be-
ing premis'd, we will allow him, that
the Natural Reafon of Mankind is the
proper fudge of the I'ruth of any Injii-
tuted Religion whatever ; but not, that if
Reveal' d Religion varies from Natural, in
any one particular, nay in the minuteji cir-
cumftance, that is an argument, which
makes every thing elfe, which can be faid

in

(40)

in its fupport totally ineffeSlual. Had he
faid. If it contradiSis the Religion of Na-
ture and Reafon, he wou'd have faid
what is true. But to vary from a thing,
is not always to contradidi it. A Prince,
forming Laws for his own Kingdom up-
on the Model of Thofe of another, may
•vary from his Pattern^ as the particular
circumftances of his own Subjeds re-
quire, without contradiSiing it. And,
fliou'd the Circumftances of Human
Nature require an Injiituted Religion, in
Ibme refpeds different from what Mecr
Nature cou'd prefcribe, fuch a Religion
wou'd not oppofe, or in the lead con-
tradidi, the Principles of Nature and
Reafon ; on the contrary it wou'd be
perfed:ly agreeable to them, as being
exadlly accommodated to the Wants and
Exigencies of Human Nature — Bur,
Can Laws be imperfeB, where a Legijla-
tor is ahfolutely perfe£i ? How, for God's
fake, does this prove, that God can give
no new Laws f It only proves, that he
cannot alter or mend thofe, that he has
given ; that, whatever commands he
iffues out to his Creatures, can have no
defedls — But, Can I'ime di/cover any
thing to him, which he did not forefee from
'Eternity'^ No! but he may defer giving
new LawSy till a fullnefs of time, a pro-
per

C40
per feaforij of Which he is furely the
bett Judge ; fo" that God may have beeii
equally -wife afld good feventeen hundred-
Tears ago, wheft he left Men to colledt
his will from the Exetciffe of theii?
Reafon alone, as he is now, .that he hag
given theiii ani Exprefs Revelation . of
It. :^c.i -;

The Laft Argument, whichlfhall, at
prefent, take notice of, occurs, p. 220.
" If it be evident (fays he) that wS
« can't' difcern, whether any inftituted
•' Religion contains every thing worthy,
" and nothing unworthy," of a divinii
" Original^ except we can antecedently
" by our Reafon difcern vvhat is, and
" what is not, worthy of having God
" for its Author; it neceflarily folloVs^Si
" that Natural -ard Reveal' d Religion.
" cant differ : becaufe, whatever Rea-
*' fon (hews to be Worthy of having
« Gdd for its Aathor,^* muft belong to
«' Natural Religion, and whatever Rea-i
" fon tells us is unworthy- of having
" God for its Author, can never be-
« long to Reveal'd Refigifeih. >' "Tis up-
" on this very plan I have endeavour'd
" to fhew you wherein G^«^^z«e Chrijii-
" anity confifts.

- We naeet with the feme notion at

p. 64. where B. having afk'd, " whether

G " (allow-

(44)

APPENDIX

OUR Author, in his fourth Chapter,
has advanc'd an Hypothejts, which,
as It does not afFeft his General Scheme,
cou'd not properly be taken notice of
in the courie of my Remarks u\^ox\ it.
But, as I think it ought not to pafs
unexamin'd, I beg leave to detain the
Reader a little longer, whilft I prefent
him with a ftiort view of the Notion
itfelf, and the reafons, why I apprehend
the Author to be miftaken in it.

The defign of the whole Chapter is
to fhew, " That not only the matter
" of God's Laws, but the Pejialties an-
" nex'4 to them, are for the Good of
" mankind, even of thofe, nvho fufferfor
" the breach of them!'

The

(45)
The Subftance of our Author's Rea-
foning in proof of this Propofition is as
follows. " God does not make Laws
" for one end, and require the obferving
" of them for another — As it was for
" the Jake of Man he gave him Laws,
" fo he executes them^^r the fame Rea-
" fan ; fince upon his own account he
" can't be in the leaft affefted, whether
" his Laws be, or be not, obferv'd ;
^' and, confequcntly, in punifhing, no
" more than rewarding, does he adt as
" a Party, much lefs as an injur'd
" Party, who wants Satisfadtion, or Re-
" paration of Honour — To fuppofe
" God punifhes to vindicate his Ho-
" nour, as a Legijlator, or, as the breach
^' of his Laws is an Injury done to
*' Him, takfs off from that Efteem
" and Love Men muft have for him,
" did they believe he only punifh'd,
" when, and no farther than, their
" Good- required — Jealoufy in point
" of Honour or Power muft as necef-
" farily be excluded from an unlimit-
" ed and abfolutely perfect Being, as
" Anger, Revenge, and fuch like Paffions
" — The Effedls of Divine Jujiice
" muft not only be for the Good of
" others, but even of the Perfons punip'd.
" All Punifhment for Punijhmenfs fake

" is

(46 )

" is meerly Cruelty and Malice; and
" therefore whatever Funijhment he in-
" Aids muft be a Mark of his Low,
*' and defign'd for our Amendment —
" As God's infinite Goodnejs appears in
" the SanSiionSj as well as the matter
" of his Laws; io his Infinite Wifdom
" knows how to adjuji the Punijh-
" ment to the offence, fo as exaSily to
." produce the dejir^d Amendment.

I have quoted thus much of our Au-
thor's fentiments in this Chapter, not
that I think the whole of his reafoning
falfe; but becaufe the Hypothejis, laid
down in the latter part, is plainly con-
nefted with, and defign'd to follow as
a confequence from, the Reafoning ad-
vanc'd in the former. Now our Au-
thor is certainly thus far right, that
God does not require the obferving of
his Laws for any EAids, different frortt
thofe, for which he firft gave them ;
as it is equally true, that the Breach
of his Laws is no reai Injury to him;
and that when we defcribe him as a
yealous God, we exprefs our felves as
much in metaphor, as when we repre-
fent him as angry, or revengeful. But
his miftake lies in fuppofing, that " The
" effedis of divine Juftice (iiniverfally ;
^' for he ipakes no particular excep-

" tions,)

( 47 )
*' tions,) mufl not only be for the
" Good of others, but even of the Per-
" Jbm punijh'd'," and that " the infinite
" wifdom of God knows how to ad-
" juji the Punijhment to the offence, fo.
^' as exaSily to produce the dejir'd Amend-
" ment.

Now,, tho' it may be true, that
Puniftiment is often for th^ Good even
of thofe, who fufFer it ; and that it may
be fo adjufted, as to produce the defir'd
Amendment j yet, . that it cannot be uni-
verfally true (as this Gentleman has
here laid it down) will appear, by
applying the notion to the Punifh-
ment of finners in this Life, the T'em-
ppral Judgments, with which Provi-
dence fometimes vifits the Guilty ia
this world.

Now, that They may be, and cer-
tainly are, in general, intended, not on-
ly to deter others from violating the
Laws of God, but to reclaim and
amend the offending Perfon ; aiid there-
fore are as much defign'd for the Sin-
ners Good, as for that of others, there
can be no doubt. But however right-
ly adjufied the Nature and degree of
the Punifhment may be to produce the
defird Amendment, it is too true, that
this effeil does not al'ways follow from

it.

(48 )

it. The Arm of Juftice may fall up-
on an abandorid, defperate, wretch, in-
fenfible, not only to thfe milder checks
of confcience, but even to the /mart of
AffliSiion itj'elf, and the loud warnings
of aStual Punijhment. Now, if one ne-
cejfary End of Punifliment be the
Amendment of the offending Per/on ;
and, if God be fuppos'd (as certainly
he muft) to bzow the Hearts of all
men ; how will you reconcile the
punifhment lof an harderid^ incorrigi-
ble. Sinner with the ihfinite wifdom
and Goodnefs of God? Muft he not
foreknow^ that the Punifhment will not
have its proper efFe<3: ? And if he ne-
ver puniftics, but with a defign of
amending the Sinner, how can he ever
puni(h, where he is Jure the Sinner
cannot be amended^ If, therefore, fuch
•wretches are ever the objects of divine
Juftice, in this world (as I think there
is no doubt but they fometimes are)
they muft be exceptions to the general
Rule, and one great end of punifhment
be entirely hfi upon them. Thus this
Hypothejis is not univerfally true, when
apply'd to the Puniihments of this
Life. With regard to thofe of another
Life, As the notion is plainly intended
to Jtrike at the Eternity of Hell-Tor-
ments

( 49 )
ments (a (^eftion, which the Authot
himfelf referves the difcufilion of to a
froperer time) I fliall not at prefent en*
ter into the difputej and ftiall only
obferve, that he feems to have bor-
row'd his Hypothefis from the Plai(h
nick Notion of the Punifhments of Hell^
thus beautiful dfefcrib'd by Virgi!^ m.
the perfon of old Anchifes.

Ergo txerientur poems, ^tieruntquemahrum
SuppUcia expendunt\ alice panduntur inanes
Sufpenfa ad ventos ; aliisfub gurgite •vajio
InfeSium eluitur fcelus, autexuriiur igni.
^ifque.fuos patimur jnanU.: e:>linde per

amplum
Mittimiir Elyjiunif & pauci lata arva te-

nemus.
Donee longa dies, perfeSlo temporis orbe^
Conor et am exemit labem, purumque reliquif
Mthereum fenfum, atque aurdi fitjiplicis

ignemi

Mn. \. 6. lin. 739.

For this are various Penances e?ijoi?i'd;
And feme are hung to bleach upon the wind-,
Sofne plungd in waters, others plungd in

fires;
'fill all the dregs are drain'd, a?id all the

ruft expires.

H All

(5°)

'j^l have their Manes, and tbofe ManeS'

bear ;
The FeWyfo cleans d, to the Abodes repair^.
And breath, in ample jUldi, theJbftEly-
,Jian Air.
J^hen are they happy, when, by length of
- time.
The fcurf is worn away of each commitr

ted Crime.
"Nojpeck is left of their habitual Stains,
But the pure ^ther vf the Soul remains.

FINIS.

BOOKS printed for Weaver Bickerton
, at Lord Bacon's Head, the Corned of

Palfgrave-Head Court, without Terri-

ple-Bar.

In -the Pr E s s, • and will fpeedily be
Publifli'd, Part II.

BEing a Reply to the Second Branch
of the Author's Hypothefis, that
No Poftive Precepts can he a Part ei-
ther of Natural or Rented' d Religion.

An Enquiry, Whether the Ghriftiait
Religion is of any Benefit, or only a
ufelefs Comniodity to a Trading Nation.'
The Second Edition.

Mifcellanies by Alexander Pope, Efq;
aiad Dr. Swift, 3 Vols.

Perfiaii Anecdotes,: Or, Secret Me^
moirs of the Court of Perfia. Written
for- the Entertainment of the King by
Madam de Gomez, Author of la Belle'
Aflemblejl3.Vols. . ' ;

The Curious and Profitable Gardener^"
by John Qowellof Hoxton. Contain-
ing" the neweft and moft ufeful Experi-
ments for Improving Land by Grain, "or
Seed : With Direftions for Cultivating'
tjie, choiceft- Fruits and Flowers: With
par ticularObfer various and Rules for the
Management of Dwarfs and Wall-Trees:
Together with the Culture of Exotic
Plants, &c. ■ ' ' ";

The Devout Chriftian Compahioni
Being a compleat Manual of Devotions,
fitted lor moft of the Concerns of Hu-
man Life J with particular Offices for
fick and dying Perfons, &c. coUedted
from the "Works of Dr. Tilbtfon, Scotr,
and Stanhope, &c.

The Pradlical Farmer : Or,TheHert-
fordfliire Husbandman. Containing ma-
ny new Improvements in Husbandry.

The Englifli Lawyer: Shewing the
Nature and Forms of Original Writs,
j^roceflesj and Mandates of the Courts of
Weftminfter ; as alfo the Forms of Re-
turns and Diredaons of Writs, Proceifes,
&c. with many curious Obfervations on
the Whole: Written and Compofed in
purfuance of the late Aft, 4thr Geo.IL
That ^11 Proceedings in Courts of Juftice
fhall be in the Englifli Lti^Uage. By
William Bohun. of the; Middk Temple,
Efquire. . ■ , .

Dr. Trapp's Virgil, with Ncites, in
3 Vols. 12^ 2d Edit.

on the Trinity," 8*'

Bohun's Law of Tythes, 2d Edit. S"

— Tyiheing-Tablcjihewing (by

Way of Analyiis) of what Thongs Tythes
are, or are not due, either by Common
Law, Cuftom, or Prefcription. ■

Pomfrett's Poems, 12° 8th Edition.

Ogilby's Pocket-Book of Roads.
Juftin for theUfe of Schools, by N.Baley.*'
Farmborow's Grammar, 7th Edit. 1 2°

..ti«.

1^

CHRISTIANITY

Diftind from the

Religion of Nature,

In Answer
To a late Book, Entitled,

Chrifiianity as Old as the Crea-
tion, &c.

( o

[N my Jirft Part, I under-
took to examine our Au-
thor's General Hypothefisi,
that Natural and Reveal' d\.
Religion differ only in the'
manner of their being communicated to
mankind; the one (Natural Religion)
being >the Internal j as the other (Reveal'd
Religion)' nothing more than the Extern-
nal Revelation of the fame unchangeable
Will of a Being, who is at all times in-
finitely rwife- and good. And my rfeafon
was, becaufe This Hypothefis, under
colour oi reconciling Reveal'd Religion
with Natural, is plainly intended to
fet afide the former as of no ufe or
advantage to Mankind.

But, fhou'd ^e allow our Author his

Hypothefis, I cannot fee, that the Caufe

of Deifm wou'd be much the better

B for

(-2)

for it. For let Reveal'd Religion be
nothing more than Natural. What then ?
Still Revelation will have its Ufe ; as it
will be both an Eajier, and a more ex-
peditious way of conveying the will of
God to us, than the Jlordo dedu«Stions,
and operations, of unajtfted Reafon.

Our Author may boaft, as much as
he pleafes, of the great Plainnefs and
Perfpicuity of the Religion of Nature :
it is certain Mankind never did (and it
is thence probate , never cou'd) arrive
at a tolerable. i5jjyt^»/ of moral Truths^
without long . Thought, and gfCat Ap-
plication of mind. The Study bf Mo-
rality was alyjrays efteem'd* the proper
hufinefs of the Pkilofopher, the Man of
Icifure and ; retirement, which implies
fpmething in it i?ot fo readily ^d eafily
to be attain'd by yulgar minds, as this
Gentleman wou'd have us imagin.

Now I wpu'4 Jisk our Author him-
felf, whether he does not think, that
the Bulk of Mjpfkipd, however capable,
he may luppofe'feach particular Mi,n
to be of fdrming to himfelf a Syftem
of morality, was not greatly affifted in
attaining to the ■ knowledge of moral
tf'vths by the Teaching and Inftruiftion
of the Pbikjbphersf Whether he does
not think, that the Writings of thofe

great

great: Men contributed to the more
eq/y &n^ [qntck propagation of Natural-
Religion in the World ? ^ If he thinks,
noti let him go to the yet barbanui
and unciviliz'd Nations of the World,
and fee what progress Morality, and
Natural Religion, make among them,
in comparifon to its advances in the
polite States of GreecesLndRcme. r

It is related of the. celebrated Mon-
Jteur^Fafcat^ one of the gceateft Geni-
ufis of France,, that, ,by the meer
ftrength of his natural ' faculties, with-
oOt having iever feenJor read any Book
of Gedmetry, he difcovidr'd the. 'Science
Ijimfelf, and advanc'd in jt as far as
the 3 2d Fropofition of thi firji Book of
Buclid,* :

B 2 But

^ Ihe fior^ being very rmnrkabfy, it iiay not be un^
pkafont to the lUader to fee tJ^ foit^ping account of it.-
« Comme le foin que Monfieur "wh pere avoit cu de
" lui 'cacher toutes ces chofet aroit eti fi grand, qu'U
" , n'en favoit pas meme les jiojiip, il iiit contfaint d?
" fe faire lui-mpme . des .definitions. II. appellojt une
"' cercle, une rond, une ligne,-un'e barrej & ainfi des
" autres. Apres ces definitions, il fe fit des axiomesj
" & enfih il fit des demonftratlons parfaites : & comme
" I'on va de Fun a I'autre dans cette fcience, il poufla
" fes recherches fi avant, qu'il, en .vint jufqu' a la 32.
♦' proipofition du premier livre d' Euclide— —

*? J?j the care, which his Father tosk to conceal every
" thing of this fort {Mathematicks) yj-sira him, was fq
" great, that he was even igmrotlt fif their navtes, he
" jCjjj ohli^i to mah Definitions himfelf. He calPd a

" Circle

(V)

But will any one fay, he 'vCou'd not',
with greater eafe and expedition have-
arriv'd to fuch a knowledge in Geo-
metrical Learning, had he been affifted
by the difcoveries, which Euclid had
before made in that Science I The
lame is true in the Science of Morali-
ty. However capable each particular
Man may be of difcovering it for him-
felf, yet his enquiries will be greatly
ajjifted by the labours and improve-
ments of thofe, who have gone before
him in the Smdy of it.

But does not all this conclude much
more flrongly for the Ufe of Revela-
tion ; which, by giving us, at one view,
a compkat and uniform Syjlem of Mora-
lity, which we may certainly truft to,
mufl: greatly facilitate our Enquiries
into Religious Truths? The Religion of
Nature, I fay, will be much fooner
and better underftood, by reading One
Book, written by the diraftion, and un-
der the influence of God himielf, than
by fearchbg after it thro' the difFe-

" Circle a Round, A Line a Bar, and ft of the refl.
" After thefe definitions, he laid down certain Axioms ;
" and at lafl he made compleat Demonftrations. And,
" going on from one to another, in this Science, be car-
" ried hit enquires fo far, as to arrive at the jzd. Pro-

" pofttion of the fir/} Book of Euclid.

Trait«z dc I'Equilibre, par M. Pafcal. Pref.

rent

(5)
rent Syftetns of a Variety of Authors;
in which too the mind may be diC-
traded in its choice amidfl the feve-
ral SeSis of Philojbphy, and divided be-
tween the Stoick, the Academick^ and
the 'Epicurean. So that, (hou'd we al-
low our Author his Hypothefis, that
Natural and R^eaVd Religion diffir on-
ly in the manner of their being commu-
nicated, yet ftill the Confequence he
wou'd infinuate, that therefore Revela-
tion is of no ufe, will by no means fol- ,
low, lince this advantage will plainly
attend it, that the Knowledge even of
Natural Religion itfelf will, by its
affiftance, be render'd at once more
eafy, and more expeditious.

But, becaufe Chrijlianity, as a parti-
cular Revelation, is concern'd in the
difpute; a Revelation, which undoubt-
edly differs in fome refpefts from meer
Natural Religion, I thought it proper
to begin with expofing the fallacy of
a Scheme, which wou'd deftroy all dif-
ference between them. With which
view, I endeavour'd to ;fliew, that the
Suppofition of a Revelation having been
aSiually given to the World might be
improv'd into a very good Argument,
a priori, why Reveal' d'R.tWpon fliou'd,
in fome refpedts, differ from Natural

But,

(6)

But, to go to the bottom of the matr
ter, I proceeded to enquire into the
true Notion of the PerfeSiion of the
ReUgion of Nature, the grand fupport
ot this Gentleman's Hypothefis; and
I have (hewn it to be perfeB in fuch
a fenfe, as to be very confiftent with
the Ufe of Revelation i the Expediency
of which is founded, not in any real
defe£i in the Law of Nature, confider'd
as a Rule of Ufe (which muft be Suf"
ficienty if duly attended to, for all the
purpofes of Human Happinefs) but in
the manifeft corruption, and depravity,
of Natural Reafon. Thus far, then,
we have already advanc'd (and I hope
fuccefsfuUy) in the prefent Controver-

I go on, therefore, to offer to the
Reader, in this fecond part, a {hort
Apokgy for the Pojitive Injiitutiom of
Religion ; which, our Author has thrown
out of his Scheme for rcafons^ which
are very manifeft.

For if the Gofpel has commanded
any Pojitive Duties, this will conftitute
a very material Difference between Na-
tural and ReveaVd Religion, and con-
fequently be an unanfwerable Objedtion
to his general Hypothefis.

Accord-

(7)

. Accordingly He introduces B, ob-
jedting, that " fome things might be
*^ requir'd by God, as Governor of the
« UnwerfCy which are meerly Pojfjvei
" nay that Rites and Ceremonies^ Sigm^
" and Symbols, might be arbitrarily en^
" joyndy and fo intermix'd with mat-
*' ters of morality, as to oblige the
" confciences of all Men at all times:"
upon which our Author joins iflue, and
fays " This alone is the Poiilt, which
" muft decide the Queftion, whether
" Natural and Reveal' d Religion do real^
« ly differ, (p. 114.)

It is obvious to remark, hovirever the
Author may feem willing to difguife
his meaning,, that he wou'd make his
good friend B. infinuate, that the Be-
lievers of Revelation refer all the Virtue
and Excellency of Pdfiti^e Duties to
the dbfglut? Didfkimon, and arbitrary Itir-
jundlion, of GdfiJ^j feparate from any
•wife oi^^oAend, which may be afi-
fwer'd hf fudh injunc^iiong ; whereas
the contrary i^ the Truth of the Cafe:
The Pejitive Duties, prefcrib'd by Re-
velation, tbo', exclufive of the com-
mand of Gody they lay no Obligation
On Mankind to the performance of
them, muft yet be fdppos'd to be wife-
ly and properly adapted to the cifdum-

flances

(8)

ftances of Human Nature, and to coH»-
tribute, mediately or immediately to'
the Good and Happinefs of Mankind:'
as will appear to be in fadl truej"
when we come to confider fome of'
the Pofitive Injiitutions both of the
yewijh and Chrijlian OEcohomy.

When, therefore, he asks " Can-
" God iflue out certain commands,
*' which have no foundation in rea-
" fon?" I anfwer, he cannot; if, by
having no foundation in reajbn, he means
having no tendency, no fubferviency
to human Virtue and Happinefs. But
how will this help him, unlefs he can
ihew, that the Pofitive Inftitutions of
Reveal'd Religion are really fiich com-
mands ?

This State of the queftion gives us,
I think, a jufl: Idea of the Nature y and
Obligation^ of Pofitive Duties, and, at
the fame time, puts our Enquiries con-
cerning them upon a right foot. Po-
fitive Duties are reially, and in the na-
ture of things, diftinSf from Natural
Religion. They are, properly, the In-
Jlituted Means of Religion, not Religion
^tf^lfi the Handmaids to Virtue, and
fubfervient to Morality, not, in their
cwn nature, either virtuous, or moral,
Abftradted from the confideration of

their

(9)
their Religims U/e, they arc perfedly
indifferent Adtions j but take Rel ig ion
into the queftiori, and their relative
cotmeBion with it, and they immedi-
ately become obligiatory' on the con-
fcien^Cs of men. ...

Tb' inftance in a Pofitiw Precept of
the Gfi^el; Eating bread and drinking
wine is, in its own nature, and exclu-
five of the command of God, with
refpeift to Religion, an Indifferent ABion;
bur, when we afe commanded to do
this in 'remembrance df the Author of
our Religion, as a grateful Commemo-
ration of' the benefits we have receiv'd
from him, and in order to a frequent
Renewal of our Obligations to the
pradlice of Religion and Virtue, Who
is there, that does not fee the con-
nexion of this Rite with Virtue and
Happinefs, and confequently, the divine
command fuppos'd, the obligation in-
cumbent On us to the performance of
it?

But \his Notion of Pojitive Duties
will not help our Author, or in the
k'aft "favour his Hypothefis, thatT?^^^
Duties cannot be a Part of Religion.
Whether They be Real Religion, or but
the Means to ir, is not the queftion
between us. The point in difpute is,
C Whether

( lo )
Whether Pofitive Precepti are ft tp bt
the fubjW matter of Revelation : \

And, in order to determine this mat-
ter, let us confider the Corruption and
depravity of Human Nature, and how
unlikely it is, that Religion, or, if you
will, the pradice of mwal Virtue, fhou'd
in any tolerable degree be fupported
in the world, without fome fuch In-
fittuted Means, as I am here contend-
ing for. The Mind of Man requires
frequently to be awakerid to the prar
Qice of Religion, to be alarm'd, and
rouz'd from that Carekffhefs and Inat-
tention, it is too apt to fall into — It
has ever been the practice of the Wifeft
Legifators, who were fenfible of this
weaknefs of our Nature, to guard Re-
ligion by Poftive Inftitutions, and to
enforce and ftrengthen its obligations
by the Jlated returns of certain ritual
and ceremonial obfervances. And I
cannot doubt, but the too general Neg-
ledl of the Chrijlian Infitutions Is one
great caufe of that Spirit of Licenti-
oufnefs, that is gone out among us.

Now I wou'd fubmit the following

Argument to this great Maftcr of Rea^

Jon. Pofitive Precepts, I fay, are of ufe in

fecuring the interefts of Religion and

Virtue; and he himfelf, in effedl, con-

fefles

( II )

fefles the fame, for he lays it down
(p. 115.) that Human Difcretion ought
to determine concerning them (i. e, ap-
point iuch Politive Inftitutions) ai it
thinks moji conducing to thofe things^
•which arCy in their own nature, obliga-
tory. Now, if it be proper for Hu-
man Reajbn, left to itfelf, to appoint
fome fuch duties, it is an argument,
a fortiori,, why God Almighty may,
confiftently with his wifdom and good-
nefs, interpofe in the direding and pre-
fcribing them, lince infinite wifdom can-
not fail, amidft the variety of Means,
to make choice of the properejl, and as
the Authority of God himfelf ftamp'd
upon them will more efFedually engage
the obedience of mankind, than the
ftrongeft fandlions of meer Human
Laws.

But, more fully to evince the great
tfe and Expediency -of thefe Duties in
fecuring the Interdls of true Religion
and virtue, let us take a fhort view of
two or three of the Pofitive Inftitu-
tions o*f Reveal'd Religion -, and fee,
whether they deferve the opprobrious
character of meer arbitrary commands;
or, on the contrary, carry the plain
marks of wifdom and goodnefs in their
Inftitution.

C 2 To

( 12)

To begin with that Revelation, which
God made of his will to the Jews
from Mount Sinai, contain'd in the
Decalogue, or Ten Commandments : This
was unqueftionably A Republication of
the. Law of Nature, as it contains the
Suhftance of Natural Religion, in our
duty to God, and One another, found-
ed upon the flridleft Principles of Right
Reafon. There is, however, in it One
Command (and One only) of a Poji-
iive Nature ; namely the Inftitution of
the Sabbath, or Obfervation of the Se-
ventb Jay ; the reafon of which Infti-
tution is exprefs'd in the conclufion of
the Commandment, in thefe words:

For in Six days the Lord made Hea-
'uen and Earth, — and rejied the Seventh
day, wherefore the Lord bkjfed the Se-
venth day, and hallowed it. (Exod. C.
20. "J. 1 1.)

This reafon fuggefts to us the Pro^
priety of the Inftitution. It was ap-
pointed as a memorial of the Creation
of the World ; in the true Hijlory of
which, Mofes, the Teacher and Lam-
giver of the Jews, had inftrudted that
People. And, when we confider how
prone the Jews were to Idolatry, w«
{hall immediately perceive the Ufe and
Subferviency of the Sabbath to the

caufe

( 13)
^ufe of:Relig:i(wi, in putting tjiat Peo-
ple conftantly in (inind of the Q«e on-
ly and True :G6di Creaior of Hezy^ea
and Earth.

But this is nOt all. There is a reaibn
for the ohCervatjori of the Sabbath, ndt
peculiar to 'th^ 'Jews,, or arifing from
any particul^ir; circumftances of that
People ; but founded in the Temper
and Difpofition of Mankind in general.
I mean the natural Carelejhefs and In-
attention of Men in the great bufinefs
of Religion; which makes it highly
expedient there fhou'd be Jlated fea-
fonSj conftantly and regularly returning,
for the exercife of Religious Worjhip;
which wou'd, otherwife, be in great
danger of being very feldom. perform'd,
if not entirely negled:ed.

,As to the numerous Rites and Ce-
remonies of the Jewi/h Religion, I (hall
take no notice of them in this place.
The Propriety of any on& Pofitive In-
ftitution of Rra^^/W Religion, fuch as
That of the -Jewijh Sabbath, is a fuf-
ficient ■ Demonftration againft this Au-
thor's Scheme. However I cannot but
obfcrve, that, if this Gentleman thinks
the Jewijh. Law ■uniNoxxhy of having
God for it's Author, confider'd as Go-
vernor of the Univerje, he cannot de-
cently

( H)

cently quarrel with any one, vdxo
ihou'd refer it to him as Temporal Le-
gifiator of the Jewsi if he remembers
his own aflertion (p. 113.) that God,
" in taking the civil adminiftration of
" their affairs upon him, afted not as
" Governor of the Univerfe, but by a
" Power deriv'd to him from the peo-
" pie by Virtue of the Hore6 Cove-
" nant."

Christianity knows of but
Two Injlitutiom of a Pojitive Nature,
univerially obligatory on all its Pro-
feflbrs: and Thofe are The Eucharifi^
or Sacrament of the Lords Supper^
and Baptifm ; the Reafonablenefs of
which is fo very plain and obvious,
that it is almoft fuperfluous, (were it
not to prevent all poffibility of cavi-
ling) to fpend any time in the proof
of it.

The Bucharijl appears to have been
inftituted, as a Perpetual Memorial of
the Death, and Sufferings, of yefui
Chrijl. It was appointed by Himfelf,
a little before he fubmitted to the ob-
ftinate Fury, and implacable malice of
the Jews. In the perfwmance of this
Rite, we folemnly recolledl what He
did, and fuffer'd for us: we comme-
morate the great advantage we receiv'd

from

from his appearance on ^aTth: We re-
new the pb^igations we are under t«
thp Praftice of Virtue and Qoodnefs,
which He came to, reftore; and we
win to this Solemn RecoUedion of our
Duty, our fervent Prayers to God for
his afliftance in the performance of it.
Now I wou'd ask any impartial Man,
What is there Unreafonable, What is
there fuperftitious in all this? What is
there, which does not remarkably and
evidently tend to the improvement of
of Piety and Virtue ?

It has ever been the.^ia6tice of the
the politeft; People gratefully to com-
memorate (and that publickly and fre-
quently) Thoi^e BenefaSlors of their
Country^ Thofe Gods on Earth, from
whom they depriv'd any great and Na-
tional Advantages. And the pradtice is
founded in common fenfe and reafbn.

For It is certainly of great Advan-
tage to the interefts of Virtue frequent-
ly to fet before mankind the moft ii-
lufirom Examples oi it, in order to fire
their minds to an. imitation of fuch
Excellency. If then the Hero is warm'd ,
by the Example of a Cafar, The Pa-
triot by That of a Brutus, can the
Chrifiian faint in the Race of Virtue,
when fo bright an Exemplar of it is

' fet

( t6)

fee before him in the perfbn of his Sa-
viour? When we recplleft the painful
Life this divine Teachtr led in the caufc
of Religion and Virtue ; the fufftrJnjgs
he chearfuUy underwent for oiir fakiSSj
When we fee evfery grace krtd every
virtue of the Hum<n Mind fliining
forth in his condufl: when we'reflti<ft
ferioufly on thefe things, can we help
being in love v^ith virtue ? Et dubitd-

mus adbuc? Befides, is not eixch fb-

lemn Renewal of our Obligations a
frefh Bar to the Attacks of Vice, of

Immorality ? Ih {hort, is not the

pradlice of this Rite, this Ceremony^
this Rojitive Duty, (call it what yoil
will) evidently for the intereft of True
Religion and Virtue ? In the Light I
have here fet it, it ■^f<|>ears to me a
mod rational, and'moft tiiceUent Injli-*
tution, and highly worthy of having'
God for its Author.

Then as to tHe other Sacrament, the
Inftitution of Baptifm, It is a publick
and Solemn Initiation into the Religion
of ypjus Chri/i; It is enrolling our felvcs
in the lift of his Difciples; It is taking
the oaths (if I may be allow'd the Ex-
preffion) to Him, as to our Spiritual
King, and Majier, the Sacramentiim mi-
litare, which . every Soldier of "Jefus

Chrift

(^7 )

Chrijl Is ofelig'd to take; and flands,
at leaftj upon the fame foot of rea-
fonablenefs with the like Obligations to
an l^atthlf Prince or Commander — ^
It may be the- Firee-thinfcer's boaft, that
he is

Nullius aUdiStus jurare in verba ma-
giftrl

fiat methinks he ought to except God'%
Word, which muft be infallible, and
ndtj like the ddSirines of meet Human
TeacherSj liable to Error and Uncer-
tainty.

: Such are the Toftive "Duties of the
Chrijiian RSgiofi j one or two plain
PreceptSi of fejEGellent ufe in their con-
fequences, ind attended with no diffi-.
cutties; in the performance of them - —
As to A<^s of mortification and abfii-
nence, recommended in the Go/pel, tho'
they are left to Human Difcretion,
when,- and in what manner they are
to be perform'd, yet have they a plain
and evident life. For, if it be of ad-
vantage to a Ghriftian to retire now
and then from the world, to fhut out
the cares of Life, in order ferioufly to
cxamme and look back upon his paft
conduftji with a view of correcting what
D is

( i8)
is amifs, of fupplying what is defeftlvc,
and of railing and exaltbg his mind
above wordly things, by a filent, un-
interrupted, contemplation of God and
his Greatnefs, What better Preparative,
than fuch a jparing and moderate ulc
of Foody as (hall adminifter no fewel
to the troublefome Paffions of Anger,
Lujl^ or the like?

What I have hitherto advanc'd con-
cerning the Nature and Obligation of
Pojitive Duties in general, together with
the (hort view I have given the Rea-
der of the excellent XJfe and Intent of
feme of the particular Duties of. this
kind, prefcrib'd by Reveal' d Religion,
might, I think, be a fufficient jipology
for them. But, to wreft the Weapon
entirely from the hand of this Adver-
fary of Reveal d Religion, I go on to
confider the moft material OhjeSiions he
he has rais'd againft Pojitive Duties;
and which he has difpos'd under the
two following general Propofitions.

Firjl, That God does not aSi arbi-
trarily^ or interpofe unnecejarily, but
leaves thofe things, which can only be
confider' d as Means (and, as fuch, are,
in their own nature mutable) to Hu'
man Difcretion, to determin, as it thinks
mojl conducing to thofe things, which

are

( 19)

are in their own nature obligatory, (p.

Secondly, that The fuppofing Things
meerly Pojitive to he made the Ingre-
dients of Religion, is inconjijient with the
Good of mankind, as well as the Honour
of God. (p. 141.)

In proof of the Firft of thefe Pro-
pofitions, he begins with obferying
the /// ufe, which may be made of
fuch Inftitutions, and " the Handle de-
" figning Men may from thence take
*' to impofe upon weak perfons what
" they pleafe, on pretence of divine

" right (p. 116.) there being no-

" thing fo indifferent, but may, if be-
** liev'd to have divinity ftamp'd upon
*' it, be perverted by defigning men to
•^ the vileft purpofes." (p. 117.) and,
as a proof, that this has adually been
the cafe among Cbrijiians, he inftances
in many Juperjiitious rites and ceremo-
nies, that have crept into ReHgion,
particularly the Exorcifms, Ahfolutions,
and Extreme UnSiions, of the Romans

ifts But what of all this? Was the

Jbufe of a Thing ever efteem'd by
impartial Men a good Argument againft
the Ufe of it? — Shou'd I vifit a>/^
perfon, and very gravely tell him, that
The Praftice of Phyjkk had give^.a
D Z Handle

( 20)

Handle to de/gnitig Men to impofe on
weak People what they pleafe, on prftence
of rejioring them to Health; and, as a
proof of this, fliou'd enumerate the ma-
ny pretended remedies daily offer 'd to
the publick, and harangue very pathe-
tically on the irregular, pernicious, pra-
dliice of ^acks, wou'd he think this a
good argument againft the ufe, of Me-
dicine, or a fufficient reafon, why he
fhou'd not confult the Learned, and
Regular, Phyjician^ I leave the appli-
cation of this with our Author; and
go on to

Another ObjeStion ; taken from the
Nature of the Duties themfelves. They
are reprefented as perfedlly Indifferent
Adtions ; and confequently improper ob-

jedls of the Divine Command I have,

in part, anticipated the anfwer to this

objed:ion, by (hewing that fuch Dudes

may, and adtually have, a tendency to

fecure the interefts of Religion and

Virtue, and confequently are not per-

feSlly Indifferent . Aftions. I fhall only

add in this place, that the foundation

of this Author's miftake lies in barely

confidering the exf£rnal, formal, Adlion

itfelf, without taking in its natural con-

fequences, and viewing it as conneSled

wj^, and re/ated to, fome purpofed End,

'^ That

(21)

That an Aftion, perfeBJy Indifferent
in itfelf, may be accidentally conneSled
with fome certain Good to be attain'd,
there can be no doubt to any one,
who refledls on the nature of Civil Go-
vernment i in the adminiftration of which
many actions, which wou'd be perfe£ily
^different in a Jiate of Nature, become
fo conne6ied with the Good of Society,
as to be the proper objedls of Human
Laws; and, of confequence, when efta-
bUfli'd by the Legijlature, ceafe to be
Indifferent Adlions. Why the fame may
not be true in the ceconomy of Provi-
dence, I cannot apprehend ; and it feems
to me a very bold Umitation of God's
'JurifdiBion to deny -him that Power,
Which you fcruple not to allow the
Civil Magifirate.

And, therefore, his whole reafoning
^gainft Pojitive Duties, founded on the
lijppos'd Indifference of their Nature,
falls to the ground — — That " What-
«* fbever is in itfelf indifferent, whether
*' as to matter, or manner, muft be fo
«' to an All-wife Being, who judges of
«' things, as they are; and for the fame
*• reafon, that he commands things,
«' which are good, and forbids thofe,
«* which, are evil, he leaves men at li-
^* berty in d[I things indifferent; " (p.

122.)

(22 )

122.) is very true ; but does not affedl
the point in difpute; unlefs the per-
formance of fuch duties, as are the
fijbje<St: of the prefent controverfy, cou'd
be prov'd to be neither Good, nor Evil^

in itj'elf, or its confequences For the

fame reafon it is as little to the purpofe
to obferve, that " Things, which are
" of no value in themfelves, can be
" no motives to an All-wife Being to*
" punifh us; or to clog our happineft
" with any fuch needlefs obfervances"
(ibid) fince the Pofitive Injlitutions of
Religion, tho' of no value in themfelves^
may yet be beneficial in their eff'eSts.

A 'Third, and indeed a notable. Ar-
gument againft Pofitive Duties is, that
there are No fuch in the Religion -oi
Angch. " If (fays heVin Heaven there
" is no room for arbitrary Precepts,
•' to encumber that Moral Goodnefs,
" which is the fole bufinefs of the Bleft
'• Above; what fliou'd hinder us, did
" we but make That too our only con-
" cern here, from enjoying a fort of
" Heaven on Earth, free from all ty-
" rannical Impofitions and endlefs Quar-

" rels about indifferent things ? "

Sometimes this Gentleman is fo com-
plaifant, as to allow us thefe Means to
Religion, provided the Appointment of

them

( 23 )

them be left to Human Difcretion; but
now, it feems, they are inconfiftent with
his Heaven upon: Earthy his chimerical
Paradife-

^0 teneam vultus mutantem Frofea nodo?

5ut let me ask him, How is he furc
that Moral , Goodnefs, as he ftyles it, is
7he [Only Concern of the Blejl, Above-,
and that in Heaven there is no room
for arbitrary (i. e. VoCitiVQ) Precepts?
I fancy he will fcarce pretend a par-
ticular Revelation concerning it. For
my own part, I (hall never be fo har-
dy, as to affert, there can be no Duties,
of a Pojitive Nature, enjoin'd the at-
tendant ^Train of Heaven itfelf; nor will
I pretend to demonftrate, but there may
be particular Forms of Adoration, &c.
conftantly obferv'd by the Heavenly
Choir ; fince Angels, as well as Men,
are dependent Beings, tho' of a higher
and more exalted, ClaJ's. But however
this be (\yhich can never be known
by us, till we join the caeleftial Choir
our felvesy or by exprefs Revelation)
No Argument can be fairly drawn from
the Nature of Angels to that of Meti.
Let this Author prove Mankind to be
fuch Beings, as we fuppofe Angels to

be,

(24)

be, and we will give him up the PoJi~
the Duties of our Religion; but, till
this can be {hewn. It will not, I think,
be our Intereft to part with thefe Helps
to virtue, thefe fupports of our frail
and imperfedt Nature* ''■

Again, " If fuch things (fays he) as
" have no worth or' excellency (i. e.
'f Pofitive Duties) can contribute to
" the worth, or excellency of Reli-
" gion; the more they abounded, the
" more excellent wou'd Religion be;
" which yet is fo far from b6ing true,
" even in the opinion of thofe, who
" contend for fuch things, that even
" they, when they are to (hew the Ex-
" cellency of the Chriftian Religion,
" recommend it for having but few of
" thofe things ; which is fuppofing it
•' lofes of its excellency, in proportion'
" to what it has of this nature; and
" that they have a more honourable
" conception of it, who believe it has
" no fuch mixture to fpoil its beauty;
" but that, like its Author, it is whol-
" ly Spiritual, and, as fuch, worthy its
" divine original." (p. 123.)

Can we believe this Author in ear-
ned.' Did ever fuch {hallow Sophifiry
fall from the pen of a Pretender to
Reafonr We recommend Chrijlianity^

it

( 25 )
it is true, for having but Few Duties
of a Pofitive Nature, in oppofition to
the numerous, and burthenfome, Rites
of Judaijm, and the ftill heavier weight
oi Gentile Super jiitim. We recommend
it as prefcribing no more of this kind,
than is necejfary for the prefervation of
Religion. But is this J'uppojing Religion
loqfes of its Excellency ^ in proportion to
what it Jjas of this nature f Quite the
contrary : It fuppofes noxhin^ fuperfuous,
nothing defeSii'ue, in the Chrtjiian In-

ftitution If our Author does not

fee the abfurdity of this manner of
reafoning in the prefent cafe, Jet him
try it in one more familiar. For in-
ftance; The Garments, we wear, con-
tribute to the convenience^ and decency,
of our bodies. But wou'd it not be
ridiculous to aflert, that, therefore, the
more they abounded, or the more cloaths
we heap'd on, the more convenient
and decent, it wou'd be ? And why is
not the abfurdity the fame in the.
prefent cafe ? Pofitive Duties may be-
confider'd as the Habits, the Cloathing,
of Religion; and it is the peculiar ex-
cellency of the Chrijlian, that it fhuns
the gaudy trappings of SuperJiition'\ and
that its Garb is modefi, and decent, beyond
that of all other Religions in the world.

Ei, After

( 26)

After what has been already faid in
Vindication of Pofitive Infiitutiom^ and
their fubferviency to Religion, I need
but juft mention the next objeSiion ;
which is, that " If God's works fhew
" infinite wifdom, there's no reafon to
" imagin but his Laws do the fame;
" but then (adds our Author) they muft
" be moral Laws; for thefe alone can
" fpeak his wifdom, as plainly, to all
" mankind, as his works do." (p. 124.)
In which there are two things ta-
ken for granted, and both without rea-
fon. The firft is, that the wifdom of
all God's Laws mujl be equally clear to
the apprehenfions of men ; which I de-
fy him to prove; it being far from
necejfary, that Human Reajbn fhou'd fee
thro' the whole ceconomy of divine Pro^
vidence. The Second is, that the cha-
ra(flers of wifdom cannot pojjibly appear
fo plain in the Pofitive^ as in the Moral,
Laws of God; which I will venture
to affert is far from being an Axiom \
and, till our Author has demonftrated
the truth of it, muft pafs for a meer
Petitio Principii.

But the Next is an ObjeBion of fome-
what more importance, and ftands thus.
" If we fuppofe any arbitrary commands
" in the Golpel, we place Chriftians in

(27)

" a worfe condition,, than thbfe under
"no Law but that of Nature; which
" requires nothing but what is moral ;
" and confequently the greateft part of
" mankind, who are to be judg'd by
" the Law they do know, and not by
" the Law they do not know, are, on
" this fuppofition, in a better condition,
" as to the next world, than Chriftians ;
" becaufe they do not hazard the fa-
" vour of God by any miftakes, or
" omiffions, in fuch matters." fj6. 125,)
I need not repeat, that by arbitrary
command^ he everywhere intends Poji-
tive Inftitutions; but the Reader is left
to judge, whether the Chrijiian deferve

fo harfli an Appellation. But the

Fallacy of this objedlion lies in confir
dering the greateji part of mankind as
under no Law but that of Nature. By
the greateft part of mankind I will ven-
ture to fuppofe he means all thofe, who
never heard of t*he Gofpel Revelation.
But, if he knows any thing of the Hi-
ftory of mankind, he muft be appriz'd,j
that, in every nation, in any tolerable
degree civilizd, fuch Religious Duties
have been injlituted, as were fuited, to
the beft of the Inftitutor's judgment,
to fecure the practice of moral virtue:
Witnefs the Religious Ceremonies, &c. of
E 2 Numa,

( 28 )

Numa, Lycurgus, and other famous
Law-givers; fo that the greatejl part
of mankind, properly fpeaking, have al-
ways been under fome other Law, be-
iidcs tliat of meer Nature, fome Pofi-
tive Law of Religion; a ftrong pre-
fumption, that mankind have ever
ftood in need of fuch helps to the
practice of Virtue. Now, if the Pojp-
tive Duties of the Chrijlian Religion
are infinitely more eafy to be perform'd,
and more accommodate to the end
propos'd, than Thofe of any other in-
Jlituted Religion, it will follow, contra-
ry to our Author's aflertion, that Chri-
Jlians, even in this refpeft, are in a
better condition, than thofe under no Law
(as he fallacioufly exprefles it) but that
of Nature.

But, farther ftill, The fuppofition of
Pofitive Precepts being a part of Reli-
gion is, according tq this Gentleman,
" to fuppofe a change of mind in God ;
" and then (fays he) where will you'
" ftop ? For, if Changeablenefs were nor
" a perfedtion, it wou'd not be in him,
" and, if all his perfeftions be infinite,
" muft not This be fo too?" (p. 131.)
The poor Gentleman is terribly afraid,
that if we admit any Pojitive Precepts
as God's Will, we (hall make fo change-
able

(29)

afik' a Being of him, as not to be fure
of his will for twenty four hours to-
gether. An Infinitely Variable Being
may give us Laws to day, and repeal
'em' to mprrow, and revive 'em the
next day, and fo on to the end of the
vrorld.

Rifum teneatis, amici?

But, feribufly. Is it not a ftrong pre-
fomption of a bad caufe, when its Pa-
tron is reduc'd to fuch low fhifts, fuch
wretched- Sophiftry? For is it not as
clear, as the' noon-day Sun, that, for
a Legijlator to vary, or add to, his
Laws, according to the exigencies of
the people under his government, is
fo far from being the efFedt of a change-
able, fickle, di^ofition, that, on the
contrary, it is the refult of a fteady,
unalterable, regard and concern for the
publick Goqdf And ftiall the Almighty
Go'Oefnor of the Univerfe, in whom
can be no variablenefs, neither Jhadow
of turning, be dccus'd, be blafphem'd,
as a Changeable, uncertain. Being; be-
caufe, in his goo4 providence, he con-
fiilts the particular circumjiances of his
Creatures, and accommodates his Laws
to the 'Vafidblenefs ot their nature? Is

not

(30)
not fu£^ a condudl highly confiftent
with the ftriifteft immutability^ and the
gracious effe£t of a confiant 'Tenor of
Wifdom and Goodnefs ?

The lafl: objedtion, I fliall take no-
tice of under the firft Head, or Pro-
pofition, is as follows. " In fliort. The
" Law of Nature either is, or is not,
«' a perfedt Law ; if the firft, 'tis not
•' capable of additions ; if the laft, does
" it not argue want of wifdom in the
" Legiflator, in firft enadting fuch an
•' imperfedl Law, and then in letting it
" continue thus imperfedl from Age to
" Age ; and at laft thinking to make
" it abfolutely perfedt, by adding fome
" meerly pofitive and arbitrary pre-

"cepts?" To which I reply, that

Pofitive Duties have nothing to do with
the perfedtion or imperfedlion of Na-
tural Religion, being wholly defign'd
to affift the weaknefs, and imperfedlion
of Human Nature.

Thefe are the Principal Objedtions
againft Pojitive Duties, advanc'd under
thejirjl of the abovemention'd Propo-
fiiiom. I Shall take notice of but one
or two under the Second, becaufe I
wou'd avoid a too frequent and tedious
repetition of the fame Reafoning: for
the truth is. Our Author's Arguments

upon

( 30
upon this fubjedt are but little more, than
one and the fame Objedion in different
Drefles.

He is here to (hew, that " The fup-
" pofing Things meerly Pofitive to be
" made the Ingredients of Religion, is
" inconfiftent with the Good of man-
" kind, as well as the Honour of God."
(p. 141.)

To prove which> he objefts, in the
firft place, that the Obfervation of Fo-
Jiti'ae Duties is a Dijcouragement to die
Pradlice of Morality, " it being certain
" (fays our Author) that the more the
" Mind is taken up with the obferva-
" tion of Things, which are not of a
" moral nature, the lefs it will be able
" to attend to thofe, that are : " Which,
however true in relation to Rites and
Ceremonies, which have no connexion
with the pradlice of moral Virtue, can-
not affedt fuch Po/tti'ue Inftitutions of
Religion, as have a plain and undeni-
able tendency to encourage Ir, by awa-
kening and keeping up the attention of
the mind, and diverting it from the
low and mean purfuits of Vice and
Immorality.

Farther; He objeds to the Ufe of
Symbols in Religion, (founded partly on
this Truth, that Senjible "Things make a

deeper

(32)
deeper Impreffion on the minds of the com-
mon People, than ivords) and that for
two realons.

Firft, Becaufe, " If we have recourfe
" to words to explain the Sigqification
" of fuch Symbols, they are, then, but
" arbitrary marks, whofe meaning can-
" not be known, but from words ; and,
" not being capable of exprefEng things
" more fuUy than words wholly need-
" lefs as to that purpofe." (p. 172.)
Which is grofsly miftaking the Ufe of
Symbolical Reprejentatiom ; they being
not intended to exprefs things more ftd-
ly than words, but (what words are of-
ten lefs capable of doing) to excite
and engage the attention, and are ad-
drefs'd rather to the FaJJions and Af-
feSlions, than the Underjlanding; to the
Heart, than to the Head.

But, Secondly, " Senfible things ma-
" king a deeper Impreflion on the com-
" mon People, is, (our Author pre-
" fumes) a juft reafon againft their ufe
*' in Religion ; becaufe the Vulgar, who
" generally look no farther than Ex-
" ternals, do not ufe them barely, as
" they do Words, to exprefs their mean-
** ing ; but conceive in them I know
" not what internal Holinefs ; and
" think fuch fymbolical Reprefentations

" as

(33)

•* as necefEry as the things reprefented
" by them." Which is only ' arguing
from an accidental Inconvenience j and
which may be in a great meafure re-
medied by proper admonitions to the
people from their Teachers, not to reft
in the Externals of Religion, but to
carry their Thoughts from thefe Re-
prefentations to the things reprefented
by them.

I fhou'd now take leave of the fe-
cond Branch of this Gentleman'^ Scheme^
That No Pofiti've Precepts can be a part
either of Natural or Reveal' d Religion ^
having, I hope, fufficiently evinc'd the
Propriety of fuch Duties, and demon-
ftrated their, fubferviency to the caufe
of True Religion and Virtue, But 1
cannot forbear taking notice of an oc-
cajional ObjeSlion, advanc'd in the very
beginning of his Book j which will
give the Reader a Proof of this Au-
thor's great ikill in Metaphyjical Rea-
foning.

A. had aflerted, that " If Reafon
" was intended to bring us to the know-
" ledge of God's Will, it muft be fuffi-
" cient to produce the intended EfFeft,
" and can never bring men to take
"that, for his Will, which he defign'd
" they, • by the ufe of their reafon,
F " {hou'd

(34)
«< (hou*d a-^roid as contrary to it." (p.
6.) Upon which B. puts the following
(hrew'd Queftion. " If (fays he) Men,
« having done all in their power, all
" that God requires of them, to find
« out his will, (hou'd fall into oppo-
" fite Sentiments, muft it not be the
« will of God, that it (hou'd be fo ?
" Can God will fuch a previous Ex-
" amination, and not will what he
" fbrekflows muft be the confequence ? "
that is, If God •wilh the exercife of
our Reafon, muft he not will all the
Errors and Mijiakes it may chance to
follow into?

We (hall prefently fee for what pur-

pofe this Phantom of a difficulty was

conjur'd up, and how cunningly he has

raiVd it into an Argument againft Po-

jitive Duties. For thus he replys in

the perfon of A, " There is, I think,

" no way to avoid this Objection of

" God'i willmg contrarieties^ but by fup-

*' poling he requires nothing of Men,

" but what is founded in the nature

" of things, and the immutable Rela-

" tions they bear to one another. But

" this ob^eftion is unanfwerable by thofe,

«* who believe the will of God may

** contain many Pofitiiie Things ; fince

"Men, after having taken all poffiblc

*' care

(as)

« care to be in the ri^r» ,ji>ay y,^
" have oppofite Sentiments, ^nd be
" oblig'd by the will of God to hpld
" and &&, contrarieties.

But i{S he fure this Obje<9:ion is un-
anfwerable by thei Advocate? for Po-
Jithe Duties? Suppofe we flaou'd ^li^ge
(what has been demonftrated a thou-
land times) that the Pr^fcie^e of the
fupream Being does by no meahs in-
fluence the thoughts or a<S:jians of Free
Agents ; it being utterly, inconfifteiit
with the notion of Human Liberty to
iuppofe it does: confequently, that no
diverjity of fentinients among Men, he,
the fubjedt of their Enquify what it
will, can Jae faid to be the will of God,
only becaufe he muft forefee the re-
fuk of their Enquiries; What opinio^
can we entertain of thi§ Apthor's Knowr.
ledge in Metaph^Jicks?

Bttt the j^isfprtpjpe is, "jThls Argu-
ment will equatly prove, diat God's
Will cannot pontain any thing of a
Moral nature : it being evident, in fad^
that Men, after having taken all pof-
fible care" in~tjieir enqjainies concerning
fnoral duties, may yet have oppofiu Sen-
timents about them. The Spartat^s, in
fome cafes, ejwsEairaged the eommiffion
of 'Theft ip, their YQijth> tbo' .a plain
F 2 violation

(36)

violation of that moral Law, which
forbids the Invafion of another's Pro-
perty. And it is notorious that the
Romans, tho* the moft polite and civi-
liz'd Nation, made no fcruple, not on-
ly of preventing the birth of Infants by
indirect means, but even of * expofmg
them irioft iinnaturaly, when born. Nay,
did- not one whole Sedt of Phihjbphers
(the Stoicks) maintain the Lawfulnrfs
of /elf-murder, exprefsly condemn'd by
others -f ? And I can fee no reafon to
bdieve, that the Sparians, or Romans^
had taken lefs care to be in the right,
than other People. If therefore a di-
'uerjity of opinions among Men is no
argument why God's Will fliou'd not
contain things of a moral nature, why
is it urg'd as a reafon againft its con-
taining thofe of a pqfitive nature ?

• IVben Softrata, in Terence, apologizes to her hus-
band Chremes for having fav'd the Life of her Daugh-
ter, whom He had commanded her to expofe, does it look
as if be bad the leaft apprebenfion that it loou'd have
been an Immoral All, when he charges her difobedience
to bis cruel commands as a Crime, in theft words — f

■ certo fcio

Te infcientem atque' imprud^tem dicere ac facere om-
nia.

Tot peccata in hac Re oftendi*: nam jam primum, fi
meum

Imperium exfequi voluifles, interemptam oportuit.

+ See Cicero's Philofophical fTritiilgf.

Thus

(37)
Thus I have endeavoured to' (hew
the trne Nature and Obligation of Po-
Jitive Duties^ with theif Froprietji and
Subferviency to the caufe of Religion
and Virtue 'j and to vindicate them from
the particular ObjeSlioni oi the Author
nov^r before us. The Inconfiftency of
fuppofing fuch Duties to be a Part of
Religioriy either Natural or Reveal'd,
with this Gentleman's Scheme, is too
evident not to difcover to us the true
reafon of his rejedtihg- them. And,
therefore, we are not to wonder, that
he every where treats Pofitive Injlitu-
tions as meer Arbitrary Commands, with-
out any Foundation in Reafon, or xkitNa-
ture of 'Things'. But, methinks, it is a lit-
tle ftrange, that fo great a Mafter of Rea-
fon, at the fame time that he wou'd
perfuade us, that Po/?//i;? Duties are in-
confiftent both with the Honour of God,
and the Good of Mankind, ' fhou'd yet
allow them to be the Means of Reli-
gion, and upon that very account con-
tend, that the Appointment of them
fhou'd be left to Human Difcretion.

To put the controverfy upon a (horc
iffue ; it is incumbent upon him to prove
thefe tinfi points.

Firft,'^hat the Poftive Infiitutions of
Reveal' d i?f%/o«, particularly Thofe of

the

(38)

the Cbrijiiant have no connexion with
the Practice of Moral Virtue. And
here he will be call'd upon to fhew
the Impropriety of the Chriftian Sacra-
vients. He muft prove, th^t the Jiated^
folemn. Commemoration of the great
Preacher of 'Bighteoufnefi^ in the Eu-
cbarijip can have no influence upon the
Heart and Aflfe(3ions, no tendency to
promote that Virtue, which He came
to teach •» and that the Initiation, by
Baptifm, into the Religion of J ejus is
an improper Method of Profejing our
felves bis Di/ciples.

In the next place, he muft fhew,
upon what Princij^es of Reafon and
Nature God Almighty is reftrain'd from
interpofing in tbofe things, . which, ex-
clufive of a divine command, are the
proper Objcdls of Human DireSiion:
why, allowing Pojki^e Inftitutiim to be
the Means of Religion, without which
Moral Duties (to ufe our Author's own
words) can't many times be performed
(p. 43 1.) it (hou'd be jit, that Men
ihou'd appoint them, but unfit that
Cod fhou'd.

If he can demonftrate thefe two
points, I (hall readily conre jnto his
Sentiments, and rejeft all futih Rites,
as Superjlitious, and the crafty Impofi-

tion

(39l

tion of defigning Men. But, if ho
fails in the attempt, it will be eafy
to judge what cenfure every fober and
impartial Reader muft pais upon an
Author^ Who endeavours to take diff
the Refiraints of Religion^ and confe*
quently to weaken the interefts of Mo-
rat Virtue among Men.

FINIS.

Errata in the firft Part. fi4ge i.
I. 15, for rer«nted ntA jcftekaXti^

BOOKS, Printed for Weaver Ulckertofi,
at Lord Ba£ori% Head, the Corner of
Palfgrave-JSead-Com-tf without Tfw-
ple-Bar.

Jqurney from Aleppo xo yerufalem^

at Eajier'y A. D. 1697. the fifth

Edition ; to which is now added, an ac-
count of the Author's Journpy to the
Banks of Euphrates at Beer, and to the
Couiltry oi Mefopotamia^ by Henry Maun-
drelly M. A. Late Fellow of Exeter Col-
le{^e and Chaplain to the Faftory at
Jlleppo.

Two New and Curious Eflays, ifl-,
Concerning the beft Method of Pruning
Fruit-Trees ; 2d, a Difcourfe concerning
the Improvement of that excellent Root
the Potatoe: To which is annexed, the
various Ways of preparing and drefling
Potatoes for the Table. /

The Feafts and Fafts of the Church
of England; the R.eafons and Grounds
of their Celebration j with Praflical Me-
ditations upoif the feveral Days, con-
cluding eachaiiElihdl flead with fuitable
Prayers, and the prober Colledts of the
Church ; To which is added, An Appen-
dix, wherein the three Grand Solemnities
added to the Liturgy of the Church of
England are clearly Explained. Illuftrated
wim many new and curious Copper
Plates.

Bysjie's Aii o^EngUJh Poetry in 2 vols.

, ,. /• ,

CHRISTIANITY

Diftindt from the

Religion of Nature,

In Answer
To a late Book, Entitled,

Chriflianity as Old as the Crea-
tion, Sec.

..'^iiiJi^it,

CHRISTIANITY

Diftinft from the

Religion of Nature,

In Answer
To a late Book, Entitled,

Chrijiianity as Old as the Crea-
tion, &c.

Part. III.

In which the Author's Occafional Ohjeffions to the
Credit and Authority of Divine Revelation are
confider'd.

By Thomas Broughton, A. M.
Reader at the Temple-Church.

LONDON:

Printed for Weaver Bickerton at Lord
Bacon's Head, the Corner oi Palfgrave-Head-
Court, without Temple-Bar, 1732.

( o

•UR Author's Mw Method
(confider'd in my laft) of
determining what can, or
cannot, be the Reveal'd
Will of God, not from
Fa^, but meer Hypothecs, gave us a
fuiBcient proof of the real intent and
defign of his Scheme. We pretend to
a divine Revelation : He does not deny
It. We fay, that this Revelation con--
tains fome Preempts of a Pqfitive Na-
ture: This he vs^ill not allow: Why?
Becaufe it is inconfiftent with a certain-
Hypothejis oi his own invention. It is
in vain to plead, thiat Thefe Precepts
are plainly' and exprefsly laid down;
that if he will give himfelf the trouble
of looking into This Revelation, he
muft fee that They are fo. The An-
fwer is Short: Divine Revelation is in-
B capable

(2)

capable of fuch Precepts; and, there-
fore, we may choofe which ^(/? of this
dilemma we think fit, either to part
with our Pojitive Duties, or give up
our Revelation. Here the true Defiga
of the Author unfolds itfelf: He is, in
reality, little concern'd, whether Chri-
Jlianity enjoins any Duties of a Pojitive
Nature, or no; fince, either way, the
Caufe of Deifm is efFedtually ferv'd.
If it does not, it is nothing more than
Natural Religion-, If it does, it cannot
poffibly be Divine Revelatiw.

But, befides the natural tendency <rf
his Scheme to overthrow Reveal'd Reli-
gion, he has advanc'd feveral Occafioatk
ObjeSfiom to its Credit and Authorityi
the moft material of which I come,
in the laft place, to confider. And,

Firft, He objedts to the Nature of
its Evidence; which can be but That
of Probability. " If it be but probable
" (fays he) that God made any External
»' Revelation at all, it can be but pro-
" bable, tho' perhaps not in the fame
" degree of Probability, that he made
" this, or that Revelation." (p. 1 84.)
Where he evidently infinuates, that the
^ruth of Revelation in general, however
the degrees of Probability may differ,
muft neceflarily, from the nature of

its

(3)
its Evidence, be very precarious and u^'^
certain. To take off the force of which
Objeftion, it will be proper to enquire
a little into the true Nature of Pro-
bability, and its efficacy towards raifing
convidiion in the Mind.

It is agreed on all hands, that Proir
hability is a kind of Evidence inferior
to that of Demonjiration. But then I
aflert, that the Difference, or Interval,
between Demonjiratiofi, and the higheji
degree of Probability, is fo exceedingly
Jmall, that the ConviSiion arifing from
both is, to all intents and purpofes, equals
ly firong. As, in Computation, z Jmall
FraSiion may be negledted without af-
fecting the refult or fum Total; fo,
tho' Probability, in its higheji degree,
falls a little fhort of Demonjiration, yex
is the defed: fo inconfiderable, that it
equally commands the Ajfent of the
Mind with Demonjiration itfelf. Again,
As, in Painting, it is difficult for the
fkilfulleft Eye* to diftinguifti the exadt
boundaries of hight and Shade, or of
two colours infenfibly diluting and mix-
ing with each other; fo is it difficult
for the ftrongeft Imagination exactly to
difcern where Probability ends, and De-
monjiration begins. To prove this ex-
periipentally, feledt any two Proportions,

B 2 the

(4)

the one highly probable^ the other ca-
pable of demonfiration : for inftance,
thefe two ; There is fuch an IJland as
Jamaica; and The three Angles ef a
Triangle are equal to two right ones.
For the Truth of the latter you have
Euclid's Demonjiration ; for that of the
former only the concurrent tejiimony of
numbers, who have feen the Illand.
To know, whether your conviSlion of
the Truth of Both be equal, examine
your mind, whether it entertains any
doubt or fcruple concerning either. If
it does not ; you may be fure, that the
Evidence for both, tho' not mathemati-
cally equal, is yet fufficient to produce
an equal AJfent : And you may as wife-
ly, and fecurely, make a voyage to
Jamaica, upon the probable Evidence^
that there is fuch an IJland, as proceed
in any Mathematical Enquiries upon the
ftrength of Euclid's Demonjirations.

It being true, then, that Probability
may rife to fo high a degree, as to be
of equal force towards commanding the
AjJ'ent of the mind with Demonjiration
itlelf ; If External Revelation be attend-
ed with this high degree of Evidence,
it is no objeftion to it, that it can be
but probable. Where there h Jujicient
Evidence of the Truth of any Thing,

to

(5)
to requife more is highly abfurd and
unreaionable.

The Queftion, then, will be, whe-
tl\er External Revelation be capable of
this high degree of Probability or not.
If you will believe our Author, it can-
not J and for this reafon, becaufe, how-
ever probable Revelation may appear,
when it is firft publifti'd to the World,
the Evidence of its Truth muft conti-
nually decreafe; " the very nature of
*' Probability (it feems) being fuch, that,
*' were it only left to Time itfelf, even
" That wou'd wear it quite out j at leaft,
" if it be true, what Mathematicians
*' pretend to demonftrate, viz. that the
" Probability of Fafts, depending on
" Human Teftimony, muft gradually
" leflerf, in proportion to the diftance
" of Time, when they were done."
And he adds, " We have a reverend
" Divine * who has publifli'd, as he
" thinks, a demonftration of this with
" relation to Fadts recorded in Scrip-
" ture, and has gone fo far, as to fix
*^ the precife time, when All probabi-
" lity of the Truth of the Hiftory of
" Chrift will be entirely fpent and ex-
"haufted." (p. 185.) If this be true.
The Probability of the Gojpel Hijiory

* Cra/g's Pnncipia Mathem. Theologia Chrift.

has

(6)

has been conftantly decreafing ever fince
its firft promulgation ; and confequently
We, of this prefent Age, have much
kjs reafon to believe in Chrifi^ than
They had, who lived Jive hundred^ bi?
a thoufandy years ago.

To which I reply, That, When we>
fpeak of FaSliy depending on Hutmtn
Teflimonyy we ought to diftingvjifla be-
tween the memory of FoBsy convey'd
by Oral Tradition from one perfon tQ
another, and That deliver'd down in
Hijiorical Record^. The Injury, which
thefe diflindt kinds of Teflimony receive
from Length of Time is by no megns
tqtt^l. The former may be greatly im-
pair'd, perhaps quite worn out, by it:
but this is not the cafe of the latt^F,
It is true. The fucceffive Copies of' a
Writtm Tejlimony may have b^n gra-
dually corrupted; but how does this hjJ'fH
the Probability of the Fa£ii recorded
in it? It may render the knowledge of
thofe Fads, with all their Circum-
ftances, more difficult to come at: but,
where a Paflage in an Author, relating;
a matter of FaSi, is clear and intelli-
giWe, without any fulpicion of a falfe'
reading. Why is not the Probability of
its Truth the fame now, that it was
five hundred, or a thou/and Years ^o?

Why

i7)

Why, M&fheftktticwm have dtmon-
ilrated ^' oonrrary from the Nature
of ProhdiUfy; paWicfikrly « A Reve-
-reiid Kviine * has fisc'd the precife
« TitBe, Whfch all probability of the
« Truth -of the Hiftory of Chrift will
** be entirely fpent, and esdi^ofted." Sur,
foefides that the Intre^e md Decreaje
of PY^bSUkj, dfependir^ on fuch a va^
riety of 'CireuiftiftflL«cesj and thdfe per-
petually changing, ieenas to me in-
capable of being reduc'd to Mathema-
tical Cakulation, to Mr. Crmg's f in-
tended Demonjlratkn in particular I ob-

* Mr. CraJg, if I nmember right (not having the
Treatife hy me) builds his iemonftfdfion tin the foUming
Lemma. ^

Velocitates Sufpicionjs crefcunt in .duplicata ratjone
Temporum. Which he endeavours to prove from a Tzl-
aiigte; in which A a, ac, ce,
e^g, are the feviral Intervals of
Time; ab, cd, ef, gB, the
velocities of the Sufpicion at
each Interval; tonfequently The
Velocity of the Sufpicipn at .
the Interval of Time a will
be to that at c as the Square of
A a to the Square of Ac. and
fo of the reft.

But the misfortune is, that iy the fame method vie can
demmftrate the wry reverfe. Forfuijliiiite the term Pro-
babilitatis fn the room of Sufpicionis, and the Prtpofitian
will be Velocitates Probabilitatis crefcunt in ratione du-.
plickta Tertif orum. But who does not fee, that this Fro-
fojition is ^uite the reverfe of the other, itnd yet the pre-
tended Demonftration equally applicable to it ?

jedl,

(8)

jediy that if the Probability of the Hi-
Jiory of Chriji continually decreafcs, it
muft have done fo from the beginning j
and confequently the number of Projfe-
fytes toChriJlianify, after the Jirjl Propa-
gators of it were dead, muft have pro-
portionably decreas'd: Whereas the con-
trary is true. Its votaries continu'd to
increafe, till the whole Roman Empire
became Chrijiian. So that, in the cafe
of the Gojpel Hijiory, the Probability of
it (hou'd feem to have encreas'd; every
new Acceffion of Profelytes being an
additional Proof and Confirmation of its
Truth. And, therefore, I (hou'd chufe
to illuftrate the fubjeft by the Fall of
a Heavy Body, whofe Velocity encreafes
in proportion to the T'ime of its Dejcent,
But, fuppofing the Probability of Chrift's
Hiftory to decreaj'e, ftill it can never be
entirely /pent and exhaufted, till xht Re-
cords of it are quite unintelligible, or
quite lojl. The former may happen
in an Age of Univerfal Ignorance: but,
then, it will not be owing to the Na-
ture of Probability. The latter, con-
fidering the prodigious number of Copies^
can fcarce ever happen. The burning
of a thoufand Alexandrian Libraries
wou'd not avail : nothing lefs can effedl
ir, than the General Conflagration.

But,

(9)
But, farther to ^weaken the; Authori-
ty, of External Revelation, it is alledg'd
by., thi§ Author, ithat we.cannot be cer-
taia. we ate not ^'wsj&o;'^ Upon:: for, he
%ik,s,(" Ought *we ■ not to be certain,'
S' that thefirft PropagatxJrs of it cou'd
'f not, be 'inai)os'd on .themfelves, : or
'i wqu'd not impofe on others j or, in
"^ other' words, were \, infallible and 3im--
'.' pec'cabl,e.?"3i.(/>. 243,)-— -The reafon'
why, he-. hints, they might be. impos'd
on themfelves,' is, .becaufe " numbers
*.' have t^k,en their own'.revenes fordi-
V vine Inspirations" — ■. — And the rea-
fon vy^jl they 'might.. imp'ofe. on others
is taken from fome Inftances in Scfip-"
tare itfelf.of •' Infpir'd- perfons as much
" govern'd by their .pafliohs Is other
1 men " - — Here he inftances in Abra-'.
^m's inceftuous marriage -Jwit'h his Si-
fter ;iZ)«fy?d?;'s inhurnan'/Xreatment of.
tjriah; Solomon's Idolatry, £g'f. uThefe,
Inftances, he , fays, ^ plainly Shew, that
" Infpir'd-. Peirfons, . whether f Prophets,
'-; or Apoftles, are fubjecS: . to the fatne
'^ paffiqnSj even ;to diffembling, and ly-
^l ing,, as other men." — — Nay farther/
Even, " Suppofiiig; rApoftles, and Pro-,
'f phets impeccable,, as •. well', as irifalli-
'.' ble, yet what > certainty can v Pfeople,
"have, that tliofe things, .which \\&-s,
C " taught

( »o)

''taught by them, have been faithfully
*' convey'd down, for many generations
" together, by Men, who were far from

« being infallible, or impeccable ? "

Farther ftill, " Admitting Traditidn has
" been a feithful Conveyancer, yet how
"can the common people be certain
*• the Scripture has been faithfully tran-

" dated?" Nor is this all; for,

"granting even that (that the Scrip-
'* ture has been faithfully tranflated)
" yet, fmce moft Texts have vaftly va-
" ried, and fometimes contrary^ inter-
" pretations, how can they be feonfi-
" dent, they do not miftake their mean-

mg?

You fee he has thrown together. In
a fort of climax^ a feries of Objedtions
to the tredit of divine Revelatim. I
am fenfible he will plead, that this is
done with a view, not of deftroying
all Authority of Reveal'd Religion, but
of inferring more ftrongly the ufe of
Reafbn in judging even of Revelation
itfelf. But the evident defign of his
Book will not fufier us to doubt of
his particular view in the Obje<^ions
now before us. I fliall, therefore, di-
ftmdtiy review them, and confider how
far they afie6t the credit and Authori-
ty of External Revelation^

As

As to hi^ firft Queflaon, " Ought w«
" not to be certain, that the firft Pro-
«' pagator§ of jt cou'd not be impos'd
" on themfelves, or wpij'd not impofe
** on Qi^hers ? " — — I anfwer, If we
can he morally, certain (an^ farther than
this is neither po^ible, nor necelT^ry)
that thg (i^ft Propagators of any Reli-
gion cou'd not be impos'd on them-
fclves, nor wou'd impofp on others,
in that partieuhr ^ranJaSiion^ there is
np neq^ffity to fupp^e theon f^Joltitet
ly InfaUHtk, or that they cau'4 not
be impo$'4 on in any other matter. If
External J^evfilatfon depends on an Hi'
fiorkal Relation i^ Fa^s an4 Doilrinesi
the only requifitQ ^uaiificgtion« are Me--
mory and Fidelity. It muft b« obierv'd,
that the prei^at iQ^j^on ha$ ^cxhing
to do with the ^yle and manner of
Ifijlorical IVritit^ but y^'hoUy ri^ards
the Credit and Authority pf the Writer.
|[n this view. It is no inore nejpBjirary^
that an Kidman (and as fudi they muft
be ^confider'd) {hou'4 be A!)lblutehr ln»
fallible^ than that He fhou'd be Qmni->
patent. If there be the highe^ Frobabi'
lity^ that he has given z faithful andi
im^rtiai Account of what He him-»
felf was a living Witnejs, \ fhou'd Ipp^
fip farther into his <^)ifjp|tiqiis, noy
C 2 expe4

( i*2 )

feped ih him the Talents of a con-
fui'Amare State/man, •■General, or Mathe-

macic'.an f- We fuppofe Revelation

founded upon F^f? ; and therefore, tho*
there ^ were ten thoufand • Inftances of
Ertthujidfm, where Peopk have 'takerr
tKeif own Re'veries for divine'^ Injpira'
tion, this is ' no Objeflion ' to a Reve-
hafion thus founded. ' - •f-'^'^ \
■: Arid, as particular Inftancfes of £«-
thii/iafm are no. Arguments %hy'thc
firft- Fropagat^Jrs'of- ExteHial'(Jfl^velati6i¥
might bd fmj>6s d''4^or^'-> thir^eii foi
Fieirher \i^4m^Y^rtT\jitdp\.\i6t\ they might
di^vjn to im^of^^' others, that there are
i',miv in^Tflne^jj-e^h in Scripiture itfelf,
r^W J;;ipi!'d P^^Jrin^as much- gbvern'd
♦i.'iA^ tl'i.'.r f':^^10riS'^s other Men" The
rr)i<;' O , ■n:/i,','''»^,--What intetrji' cou'd
f .'^vijave iih 'ii'np'CirDig upon-th6 Wt^rld?
Wo3t ■firpicion Ak iltere oi Fraud? If
i>M';>n'he pro 'd, that th^y cou'd have
Ci5'-'yn'hU'--'^''e-K-s t-o ferve )'"If' there is
^iW-'Koonfi' t;0;'fiir|>e<ft a Cheat y to what
pf^p^iVe "This^-A'u<hbi''s Inrtances ? Be-
cri^'S'0;^'^ A^af:aj/i mirntd his- Sifter, Da^
•:</(/ miirther'd Urieih, and Solomon 'spo-
ftatizd from th'e true God; therefore
I9futihew% Mark, Luke, and ^ohn,^'vc\^^
not have giv©n> a faithfid • AccouM of
Ihe Life and ASi6ns of ' a Pc^fon, with
f^"*: ^ '• whom

in )

whom they were coiemporarieSy and per-
petually conveffant. A pretty confc-
quence trulyt^— Befides, there is no
reafon for in^i^o^\ng- Abraham^ David,
and Solomon, to have been injpir'd in
the Senfe, in which we are affiir'd the
Apojlles were: who, after our Saviour's
A/cenJion,, receiv'd the Holy Ghojl in a
vifible ' manner, in order to bring to
their remembrance what they had heard
from our Lord's own mouth, and to
guide them into all Truth; an advan-
tage, which no Writers oi prophane
Hijiory ever enjoy'd. With thefe Qua-
lifications ' of Juji and Impartial Hi-
Jiorians, if They cannot find credit with
bur Author, I expedt he will give up
the moft authentick Writers of Anti-
Ijuity, and believe as little in Livy, as
he does in Luke.

To the next queftionj " What cer-
<' tainty can People have, that thofe
" things^- which were taught by themj
" have been faithfully convey'd down
*' for many Generations together by
" Men, who were far from being infal-
" lible, or Impeccable ? " — if he means.
How can we be fufe We have the ve-
ry DoBrines of the' Firji Preachers de-
liver'd down to us ? — I- anfwer, We
may have all the Evidence of it, which

the

(He Nature of the Thing is capable of,
tfee bjgheft degree of Prehahilit^i and
^ it is prov'd, or render'd matter of
^ufpicion, that We have not, it wou'd
be abfurd to doubt of it, h% to meer
JJuman Errors,, iuch as Inaccuracki and
wifiakti in the tranferi^ing, or render-
ing out of one Language into another
and the like, I deny not but They may
happen thro' Ler^th of fime^ and the
many GmffaUons, thro' which a fFrit-
tm Revelation is to pafsj but it does
not follow, th^tithe DoSlrine of thg
Revelation will be thereby ^o;/V, or
become Hffewtt from vs^hat it original-'

ly was. • The general Senfe of an

Author is not to be colle(Jled from Jingle
pajfages of his works, but from a com-
parifon of the feveral parfi with each
other. And, tho* fome Kxpreffions
may be accidentally obfcur'd, they may
receive Light and Explication from
others, which have not fufFer'd the
like Injury. And I doubt not, but the
main DoBrines, and rnoft important
Points, of the Chriftian Revelation may
be as fiiUy prov'd from the moft cor-
rupt, as the moft eprreSt Copies of the
New Tejlament. Befides I will venture
to fuggeft one Argument to the Chri-
(iian Reader, which I do not expeft

thi§

( H)

tills Author will allow me; which isj
that, fuppofing a divine Re-vdatioh aiftu-
ally given to the world, it is agreeable
to our Notibns of the JVijdom and Gqod-^
nefs of God to believe he Will fo h.t
pi^evidenUaliy intetpofe, in guarding it
down to pofterity, as not to fufFer any
Errors of cbnfequence, any Cw^Uptiefi^
v?hich may deftroy the defign of th6
Revelation, to creep into it.

To The two laft Queftions, W$i.
** How can the Gbihhion People! be
*' certain the Scripture has been faith-
" fully tranilated ? " — And " How can
"they be confident"^ they do not rni-
*' ftake its meaning ? " —^=1 anfweir.
They muft for thefe things de^send ori
the SMU and Honejly of others ; nor dd
I fee any great Inconvenience in this^
more than attends them in the moft
important concerns of Human Life
In matters of ttais) they tfiift to' the
Able Counfellpr, in Jicknefs, to ' the
Learned Vbyjician : and it wbii'd be
thought furely an unreafonable Objection
to the Sciences of Law and Fhyfick^
to fay " How can the common Peo-
" pie be fure that the Lawyer will not
" endanger their Property inftead of fe-
" curing it, or the Phyficidn adminifteir
" poifon inftead of phyfick ? " — — Nov*

it

( i6 )

it is as impoffible, that the Common
People {hou'd, of themfclvc;s, compre-
hend the meaning of the Scripture in
its original Languages, as it is, that eve-
ry Man fhou'd be a Lawyer , or a Phy-
^ian; And yet, when It is render'd in-
to a Language they do underjiand, and
when they fee numbers of unqueftion'd
Honejiy and Integrity, of great Learn-
ing and Ability, building their Faith
upon it, and governing their Adliom
by its Precepts, have they not the great-
eft moral certainty^ that the Scripture
has been faithfully tran^ied I and wliat
can poffibly induce thern to fyfpe«5l the

contrary? lAs to mifia/iing its Senfe^

No Man' is accountable to God for
more than He does, or may, underftand's
and furely the pof[ibility of not under^
Jlanding a Revelation is no objedion to
its Authority, when it is,.junderJlood. .

In the next place. Our Author feems
to think it derogates from the Pcr-
feBion and Ufe of Revelation, that its
Precepts are not fo particular, and cir~
cumjlantial, as Thofe of Natural Reli-
gion, which extends its Rules to every
poffible circumftance of Human Life.
This, he thinks, gives the Religion of
Nature a great advantage over That of
Revelation. For, " Confidering (fays

"he)

(17)
'* he) the variety of circumftances Men
" are under, and Thofe continually
" changing, as wfell as unforefeen, it
" is impoffible to have Rules laid down
" by any external Revelation for ev'ry
" Particular Cafe ; and therefore there
" muft be fome Standing Rule, difco-
^* verable by the Light of Nature, to

" dire<St us in all fuch Cafes." So

that, according to his own pofition^
All particular Cafes, even under meer
Natural Religion, muft be adjufted,
and determin'd, by fome General,

Standing, Rule. How, then, does

this prove the Superiority of the Reli-
gion of Nature, in the prefent cafe,
over That of Revelation? Why may
not the latter contain fuch general,
fianding. Rules of Morality, as may be
a fufficient diredtion in all particular
Cafes? For inftance, Many cafes may
be put, in which the Behaviour of
one Man towards another is not deter-
min'd by any Pofitive Laws of Society.
Aflc a Deiji, how we are to be govern'd
in fuch cafes, He will refer you to
that fianding Law of Nature, Do as
you wou'd be done unto. But Chriftians
know, that External Revelation has laid
down this very Rule. And, as, in Ma-
thematical Reafoning, Every Corollary

D is

( ^8 )

is virtoially included in the Theorem it
is deduc'd from, fo when fuch a Ge-
neral Rule of ABion, as This, is pro-
pos'd by Revelation^ every particular ap-
plication of it is as much a Precept of
ReveaVd Religion, as of Natural.

Our Author's ObjeBionSy hitherto, lie
againft Revelation in general. We come
now to thofe, in which Christi-
anity confider'd as a Particular Re-
velation, is immediately concern'd.

And Thefe are chiefly fuch as afFe6t the
Circumjiances of this Revelation, or the
Manner of its Difpenfation to mankind:
among which I fhall feledt the two fol-
lowing, as aflFording great Caufe of Tri-
umph to this Author.

The Firji is, That the Gojpel Reve.
lation is a Partial Injlitution;

The Second, That it wants EffeSl.

The Former of thefe Objedions con-
fifts of Two parts; Chrijiianity being
reprefented as a Partial Injlitution,
Firft, becaufe it was not given to man-
kind from the beginning ; Secondly, be-
caufe, now that it is given, it is not
Univerfal.

And

( 19)
And, firft, The Gojpel Revelation (I
mean the Gofpel of Chriftians^ not this
Author's, which every body knows
ftands clear of this objection) The
Go/pel Revelation, I fay, is reprefented
as a Partial Injiitution, becaufe it was
not given to mankind from the begin-
ning This Obje<Stion, in our Au-
thor's words, ftands thus. " If the De-
•" fign of God in communicating any
" thing of himfelf to Mankind was
•' their Happinefs, wou'd not that de-
" fign have oblig'd him, who at all
*' times alike defires their Happinels,
*' to have at all times alike communi-
" cated it to them? If God always
'.^ a£ts for the good of his Creatures,
" what reafon can be affign'd, why he
" fhou'd not from the beginning have
-' difcover'd fuch things, as make for
*' their good, but defer the doing it
" to the time of Tiberius ; fince the
" fooner this was done, the greater
" wou'd his goodnefs appear ? Nay, i^
" it confiftent with infinite Benevolence
" to hide that for many ages, which
" he knew was as ufeful at firft to pre-
" vent, as afterwards it wou'd be to
*' put a flop to any thing he difliked ?

," If, God ads upon rational mc-

" lives, mufl not the fame motives,
' P 2 " that

(20)

" that oblige him to difcover any thing
" that's for the good of mankind, have
" oblig'd him to difcover every thing,
" that is fo?" (p. 393.)

I have, in part, anfwer'd this Ob-
jedlion already *, by obferving, that a
(divine Revelation is an yf^ of Mercy,
not of Jujiice ; confequently, that there
may be wife reajbns, which we are un-
acquainted with, why God defer'd do-
ing, what he was not oblig'd to do at
all, to a diftant period of Time. — — ■
The Objection, as it is here ftated, is
bu ik upon this prefumption, that the
Chrijiian Revelation was as fit to have
been communicated from the beginning,
as at the time, in which it is faid to
have aSiually appear'd ; and for this
reafon, becaufe it was as ufeful at firji
to prevent, ai afterwards it cotid be to
put a Jiop to any things which God dij-
likcd.

The Negative of this Propofition
(viz. the Impropriety of God's commu-
nicating the Chrijiian Revelation fooner)
is, perhaps, incapable of being clearly
prov'd from a bare confideration of the
nature of the Revelation itfelf: but fure-
ly it is incumbent on this Author, if
he expe(5ls the Objedlion to have any

* Vid. Tart, i, /. 30.

weight

(21)

weight with the Believers of Revela-
tion, to demonftrate the Affirmative.^-—
To a Chrijlian it is fufEcient to prove
that the Gafpd Revelation was aftually
not given till a certain period of 'Time^
to fatisfy him that 7 hat was the pro~

pereji Time. A Z)^?//, perhaps, will

not allow this reafon : but then he muft
demonjlrate, that Human Nature was,
at all -times, equally prepared to receive
this Revelation, and that the fuccefs of
the Gojpel wou'd have been the fame,
in whatever Age of the world it had
appear'd. If he cannot fhew this, the
very reverfe, for ought he knows, may
be the Truth of the Cafe. Mankind
might not, at all times, have been equal-
ly difpoid for the reception of a divine
Revelation; and the propagation of a
new Religion might poffibly not have
met with equal fuccefs in any other Age

of the World This is certain, that

Auguflus, the immediate Predeceflbr of
'Tiberius, (in whofe reign Chrift was born,)
had eftablifli'd an univerfal Peace over
the whole Roman Empire; which, no
doubt, greatly contributed to the quic-
ker and more fuccefsful Propagation of
the Gofpel; a circumftance, which dif-
covers to us fomething of the Propriety
of this particular period of Time be-
yond

(22)

yond any other for accomplifliing this
gracious defign of Providence. Nor
can we well doubt, that the wijdam of
God was determin'd, in its choice of
this period, by fomething in the fludu-
ating ftate and condition of Human
Nature itj'elf (which he cou'd not but
forefee) when we view That regular
OEconomy of Providence, fo plainly to
be trac'd in the Hijiory of the Bible,
from the Fall of Man to the Appcatr
ance of the Promisd Seed; and con-
fider the gradual Openings of this gra-
cious defign in a SucceJJion of Prophecies,
all pointing to one perj'on and one period
of time, and all remarkably accomplifli'd
in both. And therefore the Jundlure of
ChrijTs appearance in the flefh is very
properly, as well as emphatically, flyl'd in
Scripture The Fullnefs of Time.

But Chrijiianity is not only accus'd
of Partiality, becaufe it was not given
to mankind from the beginning; but
another quarrel againft it is, that, now
it is given, it is not Univerfal; and the
gracious Author of it is charg'd with
Cruelty in not beftowing it on all his
creatures equally. For " Can a Being
" be denominated merciful and good
" (this Gentleman afks) Who is fo on-
" ly to a Few, but cruel and unmerci-

«ful

(33)

" ful to the reft ? And certainly All the
" Arguments urg'd from the neceffities
" of mankind, and the abundan,t good-
" nefs of God, will equally prove, that
" this Revelation, did it teach a Nev7
" Religion, {hou'd be TJniverJal, as that it

" fliou'd be at all." (p. 40 1.) But this

Queftion is eafily anfwer'd by another.
What right has Human Nature to a
Revelation at all? What demand have
we upon God's Jujlice for this Addi-
tional Lights after having originally re-
ceiv'd from him fuch a meafure of
Reajon, as v^'ou'd have enabled us, had
it been duly foUow'd, to difcover, and
obey, his Will? The Abufe of our Rea-
jon fure is no Plea for fuch a Favour.
And, therefore, if God thinks proper
to grant it to one part of his Creatures,
and not the other; he beflows on thefey
indeed, more than they deferve, but
does no Injury thereby to the other.

But vf& are alk'd, " What Human
" Legiflator, if he found any defedt in
"his Lavi's, and thought it for the good
" of his Subjeds to add new Laws,
" wou'd not promulgate them to all
" his People ? Or what Parent wou'd
" adl after fo partial a manner, as we
" fuppofe the common Parent of man-

" kind has done ? " But are tbefe

Cafes

(24)

Cafes parallel? Can any Argument be
fairly drawn from the nature of civil
Government, or the dirediion of a pri-
vate family, to the great concerns of
Providence in the wonderful ceconomy
and Government of the Univerfe?

But, what, tho' Revelation be not
nniverfal, is this any objedlion to the
Ufe and Advantage of it, where it is
beftow'd ? Shall we rejedt the fa-
vour of God, becaufe others are defti-
tute of them? Shall we refufe to be
Chrijiians, becaufe the Chinefe are not?
In fliort, the whole Objection to Re-
velation on account of its Partiality is
highly abfurd and unreafonable : And
He, who aiks, Why Revelation was
not given fooner, or why not to all-,
may with equal reafon demand, why
God did not create the Earth Jooner?
why, now it is created, fame parts of it
are blefled with greater fertility than
otbers? Why Men differ in degrees and
ftrength of Reajbn? or why They were
not All created Angehf

But, fecondly, tho' the condudl of
God may ftand acquitted of Cruelty
and Injuftice in not giving this Reve-
lation fooner, and, when given, not to
all his creatures alike ; How fliall we
juftify his providence in not better fe-

fecuring

( 25 )

fecuring the' gosd'-'.EffMs of it iri the
worldV' in\ notYefidiering it; effe^iiini'- to
the Reformation '■ of niarlkind, the very
purpofe foriwhith' 'We, fuppofe it gi-
ven f ■" ■! ' In this Objeftion-ouf Author
greatly triumphsij theiffihftance of Which
I have connedtecJ, and' thro wfl together,

as. follows. • i" If Rdvelation wasab-

"> folutdji/neeeffaify tp recover iMilkirid
"out of their univerfally degenerate
"and corrupted ftate, and replace' them
" in/ a ftate fuitable to the origihctl dig-
" nity and excellency of their nature
"- — ;- myft. hot i Revelation have had
" its intended effedly and made Chri-

".ftfans .much rnore perfedl, 'and

" excellent, than- men cou'd poffibly be
" in times .of unavoidable corruption ? ''

(p. 402.) And yet ' ''^ '"'"U -''ij_

• ■ 'f What impartial MaOj- who has
" compar'd the former and prefent cOn-
" ditfoH' of mankind, can think- the
ff' world much mended, ' fince the times
" of Tiberius, of-, tho' ^ ever v fo well
" vers'd in Church Hiftory, can, from
" the C6ndu£i: of Chriftians, find that
" they are arriv'd to any higher flate
" of perfeftion, than 'the reft of man-
" kindf " (p: 404.) — For, ' '^-^ ■ '' ^ '-
'^Alas! we find,- that -what, in moft
" places; paffes for the Chriftian Reii^
iv.x:, E " ligion

(16)

<' ligbn — 'has transform'd this Tocial,
" and benign, creature (Man) into one
«' fierce and cruel, and made him adt
<« with fiach rage and fury againft thofc,
" who never di4 or defign'd him any
" Injury, as cou'd not have enter'd into

" the Heart of man to conceive

" even in a ftate of Degeneracy and

« Corruption." (p. 406.) And it is

certain that

"The Corruptions of the Gofpel
" have been more fatal to the Happinefs
« of mankind, than all the Superflitions

« of the Pagan World." (p. 407.)

To which I anfwcr,

Firft, That this Objeftion, if there
is any thing in it, lies, not againfl Re-
velation, but Human Nature: The Gof-
pel may have a Natural Efficacy to re-
form Mankind, and yet it may be in
the power of Free- Agents to defeat its
Influence. But it is unjud to charge
this want of EffeB on the Gofpel itfelf.

h. fick Mdn may refufe the falu-

^tary AJJiftance of the Pbyfcian; but
will you, therefore, fay The Prefcrip-
tion vvou'd not have been effeSiual, had
the Patient comply'd with it? .A
Barren foil' is no proof, that the en-
Hvening Heat of the Sun, and refrefh-
'm% Jharwers of Rain, have not a Na-
tural

(27)

tural efficacy to produce the Fruits of
the Earth. But, Secondly,

This Objedtion falls fhort of the Au-
thor's Aim. It is founded in the Cor-
ruptions of the Gofpel, and lies pro-
perly, not againft the Ghrijiian Religion
itfelf, but fomething which, in moji
places^ paffes for Cbrt^amty.'''-^'B\it
Why, then, is it produc'd as an Ob-
jedlion againft the Ghriftian Revelation ?
Why muft the True IRfligien be revil'd
on account of this Impojtor m its bor-
row' d Garb and Semblance ? We readily
grant, that Infinite Mi/chiefs may arife
from ntijiaken notions of the Gojpel
Scheme, But what then ? Is xhQGoJpel
in fault, or thofe, who mifiake its na-
ture? If the bittereft rage has fprung
from, and the moft {hocking cruelties been
afted, on pretence of, Religion, is Cbri-
Jiianity to blame, which exprefely com-
mands us to live peaceably with all men,
and breaths nothing but Brotherly Love,

and Univerfal Charity ? r Impieties of

all kinds piay have been the Accider^
talj but they were not the Necejfary,
Confequences of ipfeading the Chri^
-Jiian Religion in the world.

But there is, really, no Foundation

of Truth in this Objedlion. And 1

will venture to appeal, with the late

P a Dr,

( ^8 )

Dr. Clarke, * to any: i)H3f)^rtial Perfon, \n
the Icaft acquainted with .the /////sry
of Mankind, Wloetler the Tejlimony of

C-hrijl- cpnqermng the Jmimytahty-^of

the- Soul, and the rcii'a^Ji .and pmiifi^mnti
of a future State; )jav£jpt hadz^wtwith-
fanding alltbei^rru,ptmi of Ckrjfiamty).
vJ/d'/y, in experience and eff'cdf, n greater
imd.mre foioerful Infufsnce upon the Jdjxtes
a{iJ /IBions of men, than ^ the .reafoning
of all th(e Philojopljers, that ever nsiere
in 'theyicor/d— — -irhethcr in -Ghr^im
Qoy.;itries '(at Icajl where Chrjfiianity is
profefsd in any. tolerable degree of Puri-
ty), tic generality, even of the meaner
and tnofl nsulgar and ignorant peop^,^ have
not truer and "worthier .notions, of God,
more jujl ^Ofid right- apprehenfiom, concern-
\ng his Attributes, and PerfeSiions, a
deeper \Senfe of the. diff^K^nc^ of Good
i^d. Evil, a gr£ater regard to moral Ob-
ligations, and to the plain and .ptojl ne-
ccffary, duties of.,J^ife, afid a piqre firm
' fnd wuverfal expeBaiion of. a futurejiate,
.of repards and punifmicnts ; than, ,in
any Heathen Country,, any co^fiderable
number of men wer^i'Efuer found to Joave.

Right Principles liave a natural Effi-
cacy to produce Plight ASiion; and the'
I do not deny, but Men mayfometimes

• J.viiencci of Nai- and Rev. Re/, p. 3 1 1 .

•^ • aft

( 29 >

ad right upon nisrong Principles, yet
as. thefe can; never have a najcural ten-
dency to ■ regulate the Aflions of Man-
kind, this can but be accidenfyiL It Is
as abfurd in T'terj!, as it is falfe jn FdB,
to fuppofe, that wrong Apprehenfions
oi God and hh 'Attributes, with but. a
faint and doubtful ExpeSiaiion of 2l fu-
ture State of Rewards and, Punifhments,
iliou'd operate as powerfully, and uni-
'verfally on the minds , of Men, as fuji
Notions of the Deity, together .vvifh a
full Afurance of .another,. Life. Ndw^,
If this reafoning.be juft. Human Na-
ture muft have been,, in fome degree,
mended, by the coming in of the Gof-
pel. And whoever is well '•vers' d in
Church Hijiory (contrary to- our Authof'is
Affertion) will fee this tfmth illuftrated
by FaSi in the Exemplary Lives, of the
Firji Chriftans in general. Nor were
the good EfFedts of the Gofpel con-
iin'd to the early Ages of the Church.
Wherever it has been fince propagated,
it has carry'd its influence iilong with
it, tho' perhaps^not in fo. leminent a d^
gree : in proof of which we need only
compare thofe Countries, where the
Chriftian. Religion, at prefent 'floUriflies,
with thofe ftilt u;ider the darknefs of
Pagan Error, and Superil!ition j and, if

it

(JO )

it appears, that the Sentiments and Man-
ners of men are infinitely more rational
in the former, than in the latter, we
ihall have a demonftratim againfl our
Jiuthar, and a full proof, that the Chri-
ftian Religion^ tho' perhaps its fuccefs
may not have born a juft porportion to
its excellence^ is yet far from being
wholly Ineff'eSfual, and has adually had
a confiderable influence towards re-
forming mankind.

Thefe are the moft material Ob-
jedlions, which this Author has occa"
Jhtutlly urg'd againft the credit and Au-
thority of the Chriftian Revelation — Its

Partiality, and want of Efe^ 1 go

on, in the laft place, to confider his
Treatment of the Scripture, thofe Sa-
cred Writings, in which this Revelation

is contain'd And here, as it is not

my defign to enter upon a compleat
Vindication of Scripture from the many
and groundlefs Cavils of this Author,
I fliall feleft but a Few of the more
remarkable Inflances of this kind, and
leave the Reader to judge of the reft
JTom this Specimen.

Among the numerous Objedtions of
Uiis Author to the Hiftory of the Old
feflament. That, which gives him moft
offence, is The Account of the Jews ex-

tripating

(31 )
tirpating the Canaanites. "This flory
" (he fays) has given great advantage to
" the Enemies of our Religon, who re-
" prefent the whole as an unparallel'd

" piece of Injuftice and Cruelty." And

the Injuftice and Cruelty of it (it feems)
eonfifts in the Ifraelites " invading, add
« that too without any deckration of
" War, the Canaamtes, a free and in-
" dependent Nation, and againft whom
" They had not the leaft caufe of com-
*' plaint, and,' on pretence of their be-
^' ing Idolaters, deiliroyji^ not only die
"Men and the Women, but Infants in-
"capable of Idolatry, or aity other
« crime." (vid. p. 27 1, 272, &c,)

It will be in vain to plead, that the
Jews, in this whole tranfadtion, a<aed
by the cxprefs command of Ged. Our
Author has enter'd his Catieat againft
this Plea, by affuring us, that "Such a
•* command is pleaded in vain, tinlefs
** it can be fhewn, that the Thing com-
" manded is not inconfiftent with the
*' Law of Nature; which if God can
" diipenfe with in one cafe, hfe may in
" all; nor cou'd his wifdom, then, pre-

fcribe any certain Rule of Cohduft

either for himfelf or his Creatures;

but all wou'd depend on an un-
" certain, arbitrary, fluduating. Will-"

Nay

<(

(32 )
Nay he aflerts, that " No man can be
" as certain he had any fuch Pofitive
" Command from God, as he muft be
" that God had forbid At him by the
" Light of Nature."

This is, indeed, a heavy charge
againft the Scriptures of the Old Tejia-
ment, a$ it accufes them of counterfeit-
ing th^.feal of Heaven, and Stamping
the Authority of- God himfelf upon the
•vilejls ASlion any People cou'd be guilty
of.—! — Let us try, then, if we cannot
clear t\^Jiory, now before us, from this
Imputation of ,a Religious Forgery-, by
(hewing, that it is very confiftent to
fuppofe Cod might iffue out fuch a
€Oinmand, ,'Sitx^ confequently highly pro-
per the Jews £hou'd obey it. And

In order to fhew this, lobferve, that
the Nature of All ASiions whatever is
abfolutely determin'd by their Tendency-,
and that they are really Good or Bad,
as the Qofifequences, which do, or 77tay,
flow from them, are of one or 'tother
kind. For what is it, that conftitutes
the nature of Right and Wrong, with
regard to! Human AEiions, but their Pro-
priety or Impropriety to produce the Ge-
neral Happvtefs of Mankind ? • In the

next pjace, do not Circumjlances great-
ly vary the nature of ABiom, and ren-
der

^ 33 )

der Thai, -M^qne time. Jit and [proper to
be , donCj . wl^ich, at another time, and
under other circumjiances, wou'd be the

(ontrary ? Let me, therefore, aik

this Author, whether an ASlion^ which,
to the Jhort-Jighted view ;of fluman Un~
derjianding, which is incapable of dif-
covering its Whole 'Tendeiicy, Shall ap-
pear improper to be done, may not to
the fupream Creator of all things, who
fees its remoteji confequences, appear, up-
on the. whole, highly proper to be done;
and vice yerfd: whence it will evident-
ly follow, (as much a Paradox as it
may feem to this Author) that God
may, confiftently with the nature of
Right and Wrong, command the perfor-
mance of an ABion, which, to Human
Prudence, exclufive of the divine com-
mand, cou'd not but have appear'd to
be A Wrong ASlion.

To apply this to the prefent cafe.
The dijpojjejjing of the Canaanites, and
fettling the Jews in their country, muft,
fetting afide Revelation, have appear'd
to Human Prudence an unjuft Proce-
dure; and for this reafon, iDecaufe it
was depriving the former of their un-
doubted Property, and beftowing it on
the latter, who cou'd have no Natural
Right and Title to what xhc Canaanites
F were

( 34)
were adually in pofeflion of. But
might not this ASlion appear to the
Supream Beings in a very different

Light? Suppofe the Canaanites to

have been a very wicked and Jd(tla-
trous People: the Lofs of their LiieSy
and the Extirpation of their iiahok Race^
might be a proper Funijhment on them

for their IVickednefs^ and Idolatry.

Here then will be One good ReafoNy
why this Nation might juftly be treat-
ed in this feemingly barbarous and in-
human Manner. Suppofe farther,

that the OEconomy of Providence, in
preparing the world for the future re-
ception of the Go/pel, might require,
that the Jews, whom he had feleded
from the reft of mankind to preferve
the true worjhip of HimJ'elfy ftiou'd be
fituated in the Land of Canaan; Here
will be another Reafon for difpoflefling
the Canaanites, whofe private Good
cou'd not, confiftently with the Wijdom
and Goodnefs of God, be prefer'd to
the General Good of Mankind. The
Firft of thefe Reafons is exprefsly re-
veal' d in Scripture; and the Jews arc
repeatedly affur'd, that it was not any
Merit of their own, but the Iniquities
of the Canaanites, that were the caufe
of their Expuljion. The latter may be

ftrongly

( 35 )

ftrongly infer'd from the whole Series
of the Jewifi Hijiory.

Thus far, then, I think we are clear,
as to the Propriety of the meer ABion
(the DipoJfeJJing of the Canaanifes) Stript
of all its circumjiancei, and manner of
being perform'd. The only remain-
ing Difficulty is concerning The Me-
thod, in which this Event was brought
about, and the ASlors concern'd in it.
To thefe our Author can by no means
be reconcil'd. The Extirpation of a
Whole People, even I'hoJ'e, who cou'd not
defer^e it, and that too by the Hands
of another People, whom they had ne-
ver injured, feems to Him fo (hocking
a procedure, that He cannot help join-
ing with the Enemies of our Religion in
reprefenting the whole Tranfadtion as
an unparallel'd piece of Cruelty and In-,
jujiice.

There are TWo Things in the Hi-
Jlory of this Event, which give him
moft offence; The Extirpation of Jt^e
Whole People, even Infants, who cou'd
not partake in the Guilt of their Pa^
rents; And The Effeding this by the
Hands of the Jews, without Provoca-
tion, or Injury receiv'd on their part.

As to the Firft, I obferve, that

In National Calamities it is unreafon-

F 2 able

( 36 )

able to expedl, that God ftiou'd mi-
racukiii'ly interpofe in diredling it to
fall only on the Guilty Head. Where
Plague or Famine afflidl a People, The
Gcod and the Bad are alike involv'd
in the geiteral Calamity ; and I be-
Keve no^ reafonable Man ever ob-
j^dted to Providence on that account

But, farther, it ought to be con-

fider'd, that what was a Punijhment to
the Idolatrous Parent, was, in reality,
a BleJJing X.0 the yet Innocent Child, in
preventing, by death, that flate of Im-
piety, into which the Prejudice of Edu-
cation, and a vicious Example, might

otherwife have plung'd it. But a

FutUT'e State fets this matter quite clear ;
fince it can be no Injury to a Crea-
ture, to be depriv'd of a Short, and
perhaps a miferable. Life, and be re-
compenc'd for the Lofs with an infinite-
ly Happy, and Immortal "Exidence.

But why mufl: the yens be the A£lors
\sf^h\% Tragedy, a People whom the

Canaanites had never injur'd r " God

"has a thoufand ways of punifh-

" ing wicked Nations without com-

" nianding Men to do any thing con-

" trary to the Laws of Nature."

Plague, or Famine, wou'd have executed
the divine vengeance as efFedually, and

fav'd

(37)
fav'd the Jews the Guilt of fo unlaivful
an Invajion.

I reply, that the Jews were nothing
more than Injlruments in the Hands of
Providence in this whole Tranfadlion.
God had determin'd to putiifh this Peo-
ple by an Utter Extirpation; and fure-
ly. He was at Liberty to make ufe of
what Means he thought Jit. No ! you

will fay not fuch means as break

in upon; the Laws oi Nature. But let
me ailc you. Why is it unlawful for
one Nation to invade another, without
Provocation, or Injury receiv'd? You
muft anfwer, Becaufe the People inva-
ded will thereby fuffer in their Lives
and Properties, to which they have as
good a natural Right, as the Invaders
themfelves have to their own Lives and
Properties. But this is not the Cafe at
prefent. The Canaanites, before the
Jewijh Invajion, had forfeited, by Guilt,
their Lives and Properties to God, and
the Jews were only Injlrumental in in-
flidling that Punijhment' upon them,
which God had before determin'd they
fhou'd undergo. The Equity of this
Procedure may be illuftrated by a fa-
miliar Cafe. It is in general contrary
to the Law of Nature, that One Man
ihou'd- take away the Life of another :

yer,

( 38 )
jet, if I forfeit my Life to the Society,
The Executioner^ who takes it, does not

<iffeivd againft the Law of Nature

The "Jews were but Executioners of the
ttivine Vengeance on a Wicked and Ido-
latroui Generation.

But there is another Objeftion againft
the yewi being concern'd in this tranf-
adiion. They were " the moft impro-
" per people to convince the world, that
« they did not aft out of a private In-
** tereft, but purely t6 execute God's
•* Vengeance on an Idolatrous Nation."
— For, " Wou'd God, m fuch a cafe,
" choofe a people as prone to Ido-
" ktry, as the Canaanites themfelves ? "

1 anfwer. They were. Upon that

▼cry account, the more ft to be em-
ploy 'd in punifhing the Canaanithi
fince the fight and remembrance of
fiich a fignal Aft of divine vengeance
on an Idolatrous Nation, was a proper
frefervative to themfelves againft relap-
fing into the fame Crime.

But we are not to come off fo eafi-
ly: There is ftill a notable Argument
behind, to prove that the Ifraelites had
vo right to invade the Canaanites -y and
that is, " becaufe the Canaanites had a
"■right to defend themfelves j" which,
accordbg to our Author, is ^' fuppofing

" two

(39)
** two oppofite rights at the feme time,
** a right in the Jews, by Revelation,
" to take away the Lives of the Cana-
" anites, and a right in the Canaanites;
" by the Law of Nature, to defend

" their Lives." To which lanfwer,

that the Jews had juft fuch a HgM to
take away the Lives of the Canaanites,
as an Executioner, authoriz'd by any
Government, has to take away the
Life of a MalefaSlor, who has forfeited
it by fentence of the Law ; And the
Canaanites had juft fuch a right of de-
fending their Lives, as a condemn d Cri-
minal has to efcape, if he can, from
the Hand of Juftice.

What has been advanc'd is, I hope,
fufficient to vindicate the Condudl of
the yews in driving out the Canaanites,
and to {hew, that they did nothing, in
this whole tranfadtion, inconfijlent with
the Law of Nature. Nor will it avail
our Author to plead, that " No Man
*' can be as certain he had any fuch
** Pofitive Command from God, as he
" muft be that God had forbid it him

*' by the Light of Nature. " For by

What authority will you aflert, that
God cannot afford men equal degrees of
'Evidence, in whatever manner he thinks
proper to reveal his will, whether by

the

(40 )

the Light of Nature, or immediate Re-

ve/ation ? "

This Objedlion, you fee, lies againft
the Credit of the Sacred Jlory of the
Old 'Tejiament. Let us go on to ex-
amine whether the Scriptures of the
New have met with a more favourable
reception at this Gentleman's Hands.
And here I fliall feledt the Two fol-
lowing ObjeSiiom.

The Firft lies againft the Paraboli-
cal Jlyle of the Gojpel, and the feeming
Reafon affign'd for it by our Saviour
himfelf. " Is not (fays this Author)
" the New Teftament full of Parables ;
" nay is it not faid, that without a Pa-
" rable Jefus fpake not to the multitude;
" and for this remarkable Reafon, that
"J'eeing they might fee and' not perceive,
" and hearing they might hear and not
" underfiand ; lefl at an\ time they fhou'd
" be converted, and their fms fhou'd be
"forgiven them- — V (p. 332.) Where
Fie wou'd perfuade us, that the true
reafon why Jefus made ufc of Parables,
was, by his own confeflion, that his
Dd^nne might not be imderftood:

If this Gentleman had carefully con-
fider'd the Paffage of Scripture, upon
which he founds this Objedion, he
muft have feen his miftake. We read

(Mark

( 41 )
(Mark. 4. ri, 12.) And he^faid unto
fiem. Unto you it is given to hnfftv the
myjiery of the Kingdom of God; but tcn-
to them that are without all ihefe things
are done in parables; That feeing thej
may fee and not perceive, ?x,c. —^ — And,

at the 34th ver/e, without a payable

fpake he not unto them: and, when they
were alone, he expounded aW- things to his

Difeiples. Here are evidently two

forts of perfons, to whom our Saviour's
Doftrine was deliver'd, Them, that-
were withotit', and his ■ Difciples. To
the former he addrefs'd himfelf in pa-
rables, but expounded all things to' the
latter. By the defcription Them that
are without. Our Lord undoubtedly
meant the Generality cf -his Auditnrsy
who were greatly prejudic'd againft hi^
do<3:rine, and thefe, he cou'd not but
foreknow, wou'd have rejected it, tho*
ever fo plainly and intelligibly deliver'd.

Grotius, accordingly, upon the place

interprets -roti s|« (them that are with-
out) Illis, qui audiebdnt quidem Chriflum,

fed not dijcenda pietatis animo It

was therefore equal to ilich people, whe-
ther our Saviour's Doftrines were de-
liver'd in parables, or not. They had
no right to a full JnflruBion in the my-
feries of the Kingdom of God, as not
G being

(42)

being difpos'd to receive and embrace
them. And therefore the Expreflion
immediately following, Ic*? C\iirw7t{, &c.
that Jeeing they may Jee^ and not perceive^
6cc. carries indeed the reafon of our
Saviour's conduit towards them, but a
reafon founded in themfelves, in their _
own objlinate difpofition and hardneji of
Heart. Nor is this conftrudlion un-
ufual with the Penmen of the New
Tejlament, as may be {hewn from ma-
ny parallel expreffions, particularly Mat.
23. 34, 3^. Wherefore behold I fend un-
to you Prophets arid Wife Men, andfome
of them ye Jhall kill, and crucify, and
Jome of them fiall ye fcourge in your fy-
nagogues, and perfecute them from city
to city; That upon you may come (oa-af
Ip J/^taf Ia.9») all the righteous Blood fpilt
upon the Earth, from the Blood of righ-
teous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias
fin of Barachias, whom ye Jlew between
the Temple and the Altar. Where it
cannot be meant, that our Saviour
wou'd fend Prophets and wife Men to
them only with a view of drawing
down the divine vengeance upon them.
No ! It only declares the Event or Con-
fequence of their treating them in the
manner defcrib'd.

The

(43 )
The other Objedlion is, that the Scrip-
tural and Philojophical Account of 'Na-
tural Things feldom agrees; as an In-
ftance of which he tells us, (p. 209.)
" There is fcarce a Country-Man io
" ignorant, as not to know, that, if the
" Seed, thrown into the Earth, is kill'd
" by drought, or dies by any other Ac-
" cident, it never rifes ; but St. Paul
" fays Thou Fool, that which thou f&wejl
" ii not quickerid, except it die. ( i Cor.
" 15. 36.) — — And our Saviour him-
" felf fays. Except a corn of nJoheat fall
" into the ground, and die, it abfdeth
^^ alone; but if it die, it bringeth forth

" much fruit!' (Job. 12,- 24.) Haft

thou appeal'd unto the Country-man,
Sir — ? Unto the Country-man Thou
fhalt go. He will tell you, that the
External Part, or Outward Coat, of the
Seed muft rot, before xhefeed can fpring
up, and bring forth fruit. This was
always fo well known a piece of Na-
tural Philojbphy, that St. Paul might
very well exprefs the Whole for the
Part, without any danger of being

mifunderftood. When A Friend or

Neighbour is buried. Do we not fay.
The Man is dead, tho' but a Part of
the Human Compofition rots in the Grave.
And this fuggefts to us the propriety
G 2 and

( 44 )
^nd elegance of xhz Jimilitude, For as
the Shell or Coat of the Seed dies be-
fore it is quickerid, fo the Body muft
f jffer death, before the Whole Man rijh
to Immortal Life.

To thefe Objedions I fliall only add
this Author's Novel Hypothcjis concern-
ing the Extent of Chrijl's commijjion,
which he has thought fit to limit, and
confine to but a Part of Mankind.
His Proof of it is admirable. " Jejin
" (he tells us) dpes not fay, he was fent
" to all Ifrael, but to the loji Sheep of
" the Houfe of Ifrael. And his Parable
" about the loji Sheep plainly fuppos'd
" All were not loft. And when it was
" obje£ted to him, that he kept com-
" pany v/'ithfnners, he owns the Charge,
" and fays, The whole need not a Phy-
^'fcian but "They that are Sick; which
" wou'd have been an improper an-
" fwer, if he thought that all ftood in
" need of him and his Spiritual Phyfick.
" And, to confirm this he adds, / am.
" not come to call the Righteous, but Sin-
" ners to repentance. Which is dividing
*• mankind into two parts. The Whole
" or Righteous, and The Sick or Sin-
" ners; and that his bufinefs was whol-

" ly with the latter." And he adds,

*' The not obferving this diftindlion has

" been

(45 )
" been the caufe of many grofs and
" uncharitable miftakes; and 'tis fome-
" what ftrange, that JeJ'us^ who befl
" knew how far his commiffion extend-
" ed, fhou'd not be credited in this
« matter." (p. 48.)

I confeis my felf wholly unacquaint-
ed with this Gentleman's, private Cha-
racter, but think he can have no rea-
fon to be angry, if I take it for grant-
ed, that an Author, who has fuch high
notions of Morality^ is himfelf a Good
Moral Man. If fo, does it not follow
from his own HypotheJiSy that Chrijl's
CemmiJfioH extends not to Uim. His
Moral Qualifications, to be fure, rank
him in the ^rji Clafs or Divifion of

Mankind, The Whole or Righteous

one of the Happy Few, the virtuous
Minority, who enjoy fo perfect a Health
of Infiocence and Gdodnefs, as to ftand
in no need of the Spiritual Phyjick of

the Go/pel.- And therefore upon his

own Principles, he is unavoidably re-
duc'd to this dilemma, either to quit
the Title of A Chrijiian, or. That of

A Moral Man. Which of the Two

he will chufe, is no difficult matter to
guefs. — — Befides, That Jheering, con-
temptuous, Expreffion-- Him and his

Spiritual > Phyjick is a broad Infinu-

ation.

(46)

ation, that, whatever might be the ge-
neral Difeafe of Human Nature, the
Remedy, adminiftred by the Go/pel, is,
in his opinion, at beft but a ^ack
Medicine. '''J^-

It were almoft trifling to fpend any
time in vindicating our Saviour's words
from the falfe Glofs here put upon
them. E-very one mufl: fee^ that Jefus
intended to declare, that he came not to
call a Righteous, hut a Sinful, World
to iJ^^«//z/;(r?; fuppofing (as St. Paul'
himfeif underftands the dodtrine, Rom.
5. 12.) that ^l bad finned. All Man-
kind, in a greater or lefs degree, par-
took of the contagion of fin ; and con-
fequently Ml ftood in need, more or
lefi, of the Salutary Influence- of the'
Gospel.

The Reader will obferve, that Thefe
Obje(ftions to the Gofpel Revelation are
chiefly taken from this Author's 14th
Chapter, in which he fets himfeif to
confute the late Dr. Clarke % excellent
Dijcourfe of The Unchangeable Obli-
gation of Natural Religion, and the
Truth and Certainty of the Chrift:ian
Revelation; and to jhew from thence^
how inconf/lent foever with the defign of
that difcourfe, that nothing can be a part

of

(47)

of Religion, but what is founded en tie

nature and Reafon of Things, (p, 355.)

In order to which he charges the Debtor

with InccnfiJiency., in firft defcribing the

Religion .of Nature as abfokuely ferfcB,

and its Precepts "Plain and' intelligible

to all' Men, and afterwards' giving ujp

this Jtyfothefis, and reprefenting it. as

obfcure, and defeBive. ^ The Charge

runs thus. "Who cou'd ' exp'e«3:, after

" we had. been told, that, as God gbj-

*' verns all his own adions by the Eter-

" nal Rule of Reafon, fo all his ratin-

** nal Creatures are oblig'd to govern

" themfelves in all theirs by the iame

"Eternal Rule: A Rule too, own'd to

" he fo plain, that the Reafon of all

" men naturally and necceJJ'arily afj'ent tO

^'it: Who, 1 fay, after thefe, and a

" number of other fuch Expreflions,

" cou'd imagine that all this fhbu'd be

" unfaid, and the utmoft Art employ 'd

" to {hew the . Impef fediion, Infuffici-

" ency, Obfcurity, and Uncertainty, of

"the Light, of Nature; and that, by

" reafon of its many defefts,' all riian-

*;' kind were in an unavoidable State of

"corruption?" .(^. 419.) .

It muft be own'd theie 'two Acfcoiiftts*

of Natjiral Religion are very inconfi-

Jlent with each other ; but thdn the

Incon-

(48)

Inconjijlency lies, not in the DoSor's
Scheme, but in this Gentleman's Reprc-
fentation of it. Dr. Clarke, after ha-
ving, with great clearnefs, and Strength
of Reafon, demonftrated, that From the
Eternal and necejfary differences of Things
there naturally and neceflarily arife cer-
tain moral Obligations, which are of
themfelves incumbent on all rational

Creatures that the fame Eternal

Obligations are moreover the exprefs Will,

and Command, of God and that

tbefe things are fo notorioujly plain and
felf-evident, that nothing but the extream-
ejl Jlupidity of mind, corruption of man-
ners, or perverfenefs of Spirit can pojjihly
make any man entertain the leaf doubt

of them. * goes on to fliew, that

Though the Neceffty and Indifpenfablenefs
of all the great and moral obligations of
Natural Religion, and alfo the certainty
of a future fate of Rewards and Punijh-
ments, be in general, deducible, even de-
monjlrably, by a chain of clear and un-
deniable reafoning; yet (in the prefent
Jlate of the world, by what means foever it
came originally to be fo corrupted — )Jucb
is the Careleflnefs, Inconfideratenefe, and
want of Attention, of the greater part
of mankind; fo many the Prejudices, and

* Evid. p. 177.

falfe

(49 )
felfe Notions taken up by evil £duca--
^QM',fi firing and violent the unreajm-
abh Lufts, Appetites, and Defires of
Senfej andfo great the Blindnefe, intra-
duc'd by fuperftitibus opinions, vicious
Cuftoms, iMd debauched ^pi^dlices, thrd
the nmrldi that very few are able in re^
ality and tffeSi to difcover tbeje things
clearly for themfehes ; but men have great
need of particular Teaching and nmeh
Inftruiftion, to convince them D^//6f Truth,
and Certainty, and Importance of thefe
things; to give them a due Senfe and
clear and juji Apprfehenfions concerning
themy and to bring them i^eSiuaDy to
the Praftice of the plaineji and mofi
neceffary Duties. *

Now Can any Thing be plainer
than that this Excellent Writer's charge
of ImperfeBion, and Uncertainty, does
not lie againft the Light of Nature^
but the Powers of Human Reafon in its
corrupt, degenerate. State ? -— Does not
Dr. Clarke fuppofe, that the moral Obli-
gations of Natural Religion are dedu-
cible, even demon/lrably, by a Chain of

clear and undeniable Reofoning?' Does

he not charge Mankind with Careleff-

* Prop. V. where the Reader may fee thefe Particulars
dtdu^d at large.

H nefs.

C5»)
nefs, Inconjideratenefiy and ijoant ^f At-
tention:, vfkh Prejudices, 2Si^ falfe Opi-
nions, taken up by Evil Education?

And does he not affign this very

Degeneracy as a reafon, why Few ■ are
abk in reality and effeSl to difcover thefe
thirds clearly for them/elves? — ■ — And
will you ftill fay This is charging the
Light of Nature with being Defe&ive?

. If our Author does not, or will noty

fee the coTtfiJlency of all this, I cannot
help it. However, to aflift his Appre-
henfion a little, let us confider a Pa-
rallel cafe. Suppofe a Race of People,
whofe Faculty of Sight, thro' fome^e-
neral caufe, has been impaired, and ren-
der'd very defeBive. Wou'd you fay,
that to charge this people with blind-
nefs, and with fiumblir^ even at Noon-
day, was to call in queftion the hight

of the Sun^ What the Sun\ Light

wou'd be to thefe people, That The
Light of Nature is to Mankind in its
degenerate condition. And the DoBor'i
-fuppofing Human Reafon in this cafe not
to be a Sufficient Guide, is no more an
objedlion to the Evidence and Perjpi-
cuity of Natural Religion, than the fup-
pofing this People's Sight DefeSlive,
and Infiifficient, wou'd be an Argument

that

( 50
that the Sun did not Shine upon them
at Noon-day.

Thus much I thought proper to al-
ledge in vindication of the late Dr.
Clarke's 'Evidences of Natural and Re-
veal'd Religion againft this Gentleman's
Charge' of Inconfijlency^ • — He owns the
DoSlorspt immortal Honour by that-DiJ-
courfe -yp. 353.) but, if His cenfure of
it be juft, this will pafs for no great
compliment to the underftanding, and
judgment, of the Generality of the

DoSlor's Readers. And here I take

leave of this Gentleman, and his ela-
borate Work, not in the leaft furpriz'd,
that an Author, who endeavours to
overthrow the Credit and Authority oi
the Chrijlian Revelation itjelf, fliou'd
take fome pains to decry one of the
moft judicious, and moft rational. De-
fences of It, that" has perhaps ever ap-
pear'd. But

omnts

■ -'iBffufus labor.

* If the "Reader wou^d fee a full and compleat vindi-
cation of the Doftor, let him confult a z/ery Able Writer's
late Defence of Dr. Clarke's Evidences of Natural and
Reveal'd Religion,

H 2 This

( ia )

This Writer's Attempt is Vain. For»
Whilft the Chrijiian Religion' holds its
Efteem in the Sentinfents and praSiice
of the wijeji, the moft Learned, and
moft Moral, Men, fo long will Dr.
Clarke'^ Book be. read with the utmoft
pleafure, as well as profit, and the high"
eft Reverence be paid by all true Prth
fefors of Cbriftiamty to the milliory of
Its Learned and Ingenious Apolof^jl,

FINIS,